After I Die, I'll Re-Awake
by Abequa
Summary: Dave Strider has woken up from a coma after being asleep for three years. He has no memories about his friends, his family or his life. The only thing he can remember is playing a game called SBURB.
1. Ding dong, hey, ding dong, wake up

**Dave: Wake up**

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea right about now. Not that you really know that. You don't know much of anything at the moment. Right now you know that the lights are too bright and should be turned off and you have a mind-numbing headache. Problem number two might be solved by solving problem number one.

When your eyes settle and adjust to the lights you take in your surroundings. White walls, white roof, white floors, white… everything.

Hospital.

You're in a hospital.

You try to recollect your memories but nothing is making any sense. Just fragments from your past that is on the tip of your tongue but escaping you. You're pulled from your memory collecting by a hand pulling tightly at your own.

"A doctor! We need a doctor! He's awake!" a voice calls from your right and you assume that the voice belongs to the hand. "Dave… Dave… lil' man…" the voice, a male one, whispers and mutters to you. Because if there is one thing you remember it is that your name's Dave Strider and you're the coolest cool kid ever.

You turn your head to focus on the person that belongs to the hand and voice. He's a middle aged man wearing a pair of pointy (and shitty) anime shades.

"Murghn?" you try but you're not really able to make words at the moment.

The man smiles at him and tightens the hold on your hand. "It's all cool now lil' bro, you're okay now. You're awake now."

Awake? Yeah, so? You had a nap or something, so what?

You guess you look as puzzled as fuck because he chuckles a little – a sad thing which tugs at your heart for whatever reason. You don't even know his guy – before explaining, "we were having a strife on the roof – like we usually do – when you ducked to dodge to stop yourself from being hit with my sword and you hit your head pretty bad on the concrete. You've been in a coma for three years, Dave."

A coma… what do you mean a coma? You try to dig deeply into your brain memories to try and rediscover the accident but you don't find anything.

"I…I don't…" you began to string words together into what you hope would be a sentence, "I don't know".

"Know what?"

"Know nothing… everything. I don't know any of that and I don't know who y'all are." you try to sit up but the man you apparently know pushes you back down, "where's John? Or Rose… Jade…?"

The man frowns down at you and you can see the hurt in his face even with the shades, "I'm your big brother," he says quietly, "And you don't know anyone called John, Rose and Jade."

What does he mean you don't know anyone named John, Rose and Jade? They're your best friends. And what does he mean big brother? You don't remember having a big brother.

Suddenly the room turns into chaos with doctors and nurses bursting into the room. They tell the man – your big brother? – to leave the room while they run some tests on you to see how you're feeling.

**Bro: Be confused and a little hurt**

You are now Bro and you're doing a good job at being both right now.

You can't understand why he can't remember you. You used to be everything to him, his brother and best friend and now that's just a forgotten memory that has to be locked somewhere deep inside his head.

You rest your elbows on your knees and place your head on your palms. You've read about causes where people forget who they are and everything about their life prior to their accidents but he never thought it would happen to Dave. He was such a strong boy and a Strider to top that off. He shouldn't just lose his memories like that.

A nurse comes out of Dave's room with a clipboard in her hands, "Mr Strider," she says, flipping, through the pages on the clipboard, "I'm afraid your brother is suffering from amnesia. It's a fairly common…" you turn out after your thoughts were confirmed.

How could that even happen to him? How was he going to explain this to his friends and family? Not only did he cause this problem but now he has to break the amnesia to them. _'At least he's awake,' _you think weakly.

The nurse – Helen, her name tags says – places a hand on your shoulder when she realises that you have zoned out. You look up at her and she's smiling weakly, trying to make you feel better. It's not really helping but you smile back weakly anyway.

She flicks a couple of pages over and scans through whatever was written on the paper. "The people that your brother was taking about, John, Rose and Jade are people, some friends, from what he is able to recall. They aren't anyone you should know, seeing as they don't even live in Texas."

"But they're real?" you ask.

"Yes," she replies, "John Egbert is a 16 year old boy from Washington; Rose Lalonde is a 16 year old girl from New York; and Jade Harley is a 16 year old girl who lived on a Pacific Island."

"So how does Dave know these people?"

"We've looked into that, too. Turns out all three of those friends have suffered from the same cases. All going into a coma for different reasons and all coming out of a coma at the same time and all after three years."

You place your head in your hands again in complete shock. You couldn't believe this. You feel Helen give your shoulder a reassuring squeeze and said "you can take him home whenever you're ready" before walking off.

You could hardly believe it.

**Dave: Sit uncomfortably in the passenger seat of an unknown car**

Awesome because that's what you're currently doing. You know nothing about this guy but everything is assuring you he's your brother and you're going home – wherever home might be.

You sit in the seat and fiddle with the a-tad-too-big clothes you've been given when they released you. 'Bro' explained to you that since you've grown so much in the last three years they just guessed what size you are.

"So…" Bro broke the silence awkwardly, obviously as uncomfortable as you are with it.

"Um, yeah?" you reply.

Bro – does this guy even have an actual name? - clears his throat and waits for a second, trying to gather the right words. "I know you don't know who I am or anything like that but I promise you that everything will be alright and nothing will happen to you again, okay?"

A second or two passes and Bro asks again, "okay?"

"… Okay…"

For the remainder of the drive you stay huddled up to the car door and stare out the window. The scenery is strange and you don't remember anything. You don't remember trees or roads or grass. You only remember cogs and lava.

* * *

My first fanfiction (and chapter for this story) and I hope it's okay.

Title from Robert Delong's "Global Concepts". Chapter title from Sliimy's "Wake Up".

Beta'd by Athesia.


	2. A New Beginning

**Dave: Meet the family**

You don't know how you feel about this. Meeting them would be like meeting a whole group of strangers all at once. But apparently they're your family so they're technically not strangers… just a group of people who you haven't see in a long time and don't remember ever seeing them ever.

You linger in the doorway of the apartment and scan over everything with a curious and suspicious eye. Sitting in the lounge room is a man and woman – who you assume to be your parents – with shocked looks on their faces. You don't know if they're glad to see you or not.

When Bro notices you're not following he turns back to face you, concern written over whatever part of his face you could see. There wasn't much of that. "You okay?" he asks.

You pause for a minute and take everything in again. It's still so shocking but it's also getting a whole lot clearer. Not your memories, those are still hazy, but just the fact that you have a family and this is your family. Of course you've had one otherwise you couldn't of been born and these people look kind of like you.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," you say. You still don't think you're fine but you're not freaking out as much so you're pretty cool right now.

All Bro says is a quick "cool" before walking off again towards your parents. You follow him slowly and give everything a once over to try and make anything familiar to you. Nothing helps anything become clearer.

Bro takes a seat on one of the recliners across from your parents, which leaves you to stand awkwardly in the doorway. Your dad is sitting on the arm of a couch and your mum sitting on the couch itself, both their expressions blank. It doesn't feel like the expressions you and Bro have but a blank expression of mixed emotions. Your dad motions you to sit in the recliner next to Bro's and you do so.

No one really knows what to say to each other right now because, frankly, what is there to say? A thousand thought are running through your head and none of them are good ones.

"Welcome home," your mum is the first to speak, her tone is shaky, "how are you feeling?"

You take a moment to think about your answer carefully. She's your mother, not your brother so you doubt a quick "fine" will be acceptable. You open and close your mouth a couple of times while you come up with the right answer before you come up with, "I'm okay. A little shaken I guess after waking up without knowing anything and being thrown into this whole drama like it's a shitty soap opera."

Your Mum gives you a sweet and comforting smile and you think it's the best thing that has happened yet.

**Bro: Give Dave a tour of his own house**

You're on that right now. You show Dave through the whole house, telling him stories of what's happened in each room to try and jog his memory but you get no results just "nup, not ringing any bells, Bro".

You've left Dave's room for last.

"Your room, lil bro," you tell him while you open the bedroom door, "Mum wanted it to stay the same as you left it since it gave her a little more hope you're wake up soon".

You notice Dave is having trouble taking something in, whether it's the room or that you just said you don't know but you give him a second to process these new things before continuing, "Why don't you look around while I do… something…" and you quickly rush off to do whatever that 'something' is.

**Dave: Explore your room**

That's what you're planning to do.

Your room is so much different from the rest of the house; it's more personal and just you. You don't remember this room either, but it gives you a sense of Déjà vu but you're guessing it's just since it's your room because nothing is coming back to you.

You wonder around the room, touching things and picking stuff up, examining it. Your turntables, your bed, your posters and camera. Nothing brings anything to you.

You notice the photos hanging for the string above your bed and take a look at them. The photos are of things like birds, landscapes, you and friends and family. They're pretty good and you wonder if you're still any good at photography. You'll check that out later.

You continue to look around the room and freak yourself out with the jars of dead things. Okay, that's kind of cool but also insanely gross at the same time. More gross than cool but you're still wondering what you were thinking when you started that collection.

The turntables and sick beats and stuff is something that you know you can do again. It just feels like something's in your blood that means that is something you can do no matter what.

_**Dave: Think about your weird dreams friends**_

You take a seat on your bed and do so. You wonder what they're doing and how they're coping with this. You remember them so clearly you think you do know how they are.

John would be with his dad, baking a cake (Betty Crocker and John'll hate it but will eat it anyway because he misses his dad that much) or playing the piano because he's good at that.

Rose would be with her mum you suppose. Her mum would be drunk and vacuuming or something like that and they'd have passive aggressive war about something like they used to.

Jade would be with Bec, definitely. Maybe do some gardening and then sleep in a funny place like she usually does.

You wonder if you should get in touch with them. Search them out and get to know them in real life. You wonder if they'd be the same as they are from your memories. You hope they are, they were your best friends after all.

Okay, you would have real life best friends but you have no idea who they are and frankly now you don't when them.

These John, Rose and Jade people are your best friends now. Fake or dreamers or whatever they would classify as, or not they're your best friends and you all share an amazing connect and memories.

Yeah, meeting them would be pretty fucking sweet.

* * *

And there's the second chapter! Hope it was okay.  
Chapter title is the name of Good Charlotte's song "A New Beginning".


	3. Long Lost Penpal

**Dave: Share your idea with the class**

Yeah, in a minute, you're working up to that. Your parents don't even know about the others Bro told you, so you think it's a good idea not to tell them about it just yet. So, after dinner when everyone's gone to do their own thing you set off to find Bro.

After a twenty minute search you found him on the roof of the apartment, smoking a cigarette and looking off into the sky. You could tell he was thinking about something so you quietly sit next to him.

A few minutes passed and Bro had finished his cigarette so you decided it would be now or never.

"I want to meet up with the other guys caught up in this shit storm."

This caught Bro's attention as he turned his head in your direction, even with his shades you could see him glaring at you like you just said something completely horrific. "What do you mean 'meet up with the others?' do you really think that could end well with anyone?" he asks, "what about Mum and Dad? They don't even know."

"I know they don't. But wouldn't it help everyone involved if we all got together and join forces or some shit and they to work out what the fuck's going on with us?"

Bro sighed quietly, a barely noticeable action unless you were used to it. But you can't be, you don't even really know this guy. "Are you sure 'bout that?"

"What do I even have to lose? I don't know anything expect these three dudes that I haven't even met before. It was so fucked up, man. We all died and came back alive again and all this bullshit with time," you say.

"You died?"

"Yep, heaps of times, over and over a-fucking-gain."

"How the hell could you have died and still be alive now?"

"I told you, man. It was bullshit with time."

"Uh-huh."

"So, can we?"

Bro takes a moment to think about it. It wasn't an easy question but it was a damn important one and God knows what could happen if this did go ahead.

"First, we'd have to tell Mum and Dad."

You don't think you'd ever get used to having a mum and dad it just doesn't seem right. Having a brother is a different thing completely. It just seems so natural having a brother.

**Dave: Tell your parents about this idea**

You're just about to do that now. You called a family meeting and everyone met in the living room, taking their places on the couch. You pulled up a chair from the dining room and sat on it backwards.

"I'm guessing you're wondering why I've gathered you all here today?" you ask, trying to break the ice which is kind of thick. It's been that way ever since you came home.

No one found your attempt to break the ice funny, it actually made it even more awkward. You try again, "Okay, so you know how I've been out for like, a life time, while I was sleeping I had some dreams. Well, a dream. It was a massive dream filled with action and adventure and even a little romance. It was like a movie, it could be a movie," you rattle on, piecing together your sentences as you go.

"What kind of dream?" Dad asks.

"It was like, me and three friends were playing a game. It was called SBURB is something like that, a real weird name. These three friends were my best friends and their names were John, Rose and Jade and they're real people living all 'round the place, mainly America but Jade was a little confused about where she lived and everything since she lived on an island," you say, "but yeah, we played this game – SBURB – and it was an apocalyptic, an end of the world deal and we dead and came back and died again and came back again all these different times and at different points."

No one says anything, they look at you with blank stares and you actually think they think you're insane but you continue anyway, "there was a thousand on me and I did all these awesome things only at the time I didn't think I was actually that awesome. Not like John or my Bro-".

"What do you mean 'your bro'?" Bro asks suddenly, cutting you off, "I thought you didn't know who the hell I was."

"Language," Mum cuts in. Bro ignores her.

"He was like you but not you. He wore those shitty anime shades and we fought on the roof with swords and he kind of acted like you but he was more of a douche."

"Language," Mum says again. She's ignored again.

"What about Mum and Dad, were they in it?" Bro asks.

"No, only Bro," you reply, "each of us only had on… guardian, mine was brother, John's was a farther, Rose's was a mother and Jade's was a Grandpa who died when she was a child so really she was raised by a weird dog."

"What's so weird about a dog?" Dad asks, "are you high or something?"

"He ate irradiated steak and could wrap time or some shit like that. He wasn't like a normal dog, he was a fucking weird ass dog that couldn't die," you say as if it explains everything.

"Uh-huh," Dad says, "are you being serious? Do you think anyone believes this? You're still not feeling well."

"I don't know what to believe, anymore," Mum says a little teary.

Bro just sits there, quietly, staring off at the wall on the other side of the room.

This didn't go as well as you thought it would.

**Dave: Do your research**

You really don't want to but if you must. You open up Google and start typing in whatever comes to mind: SBURB, apocalyptic games, Trolls, _Alternia but nothing was coming up and he was starting to become annoyed._

_He tried one more thing: Pesterchum and he finally got some results._

_He found the same chat client he used in his dreams and he downloaded it onto everything he has that he could possibly download it onto just to be sure. He suddenly wishes he could actually have iShades in really life, that'll be pretty sweet._

He sets up an account with the same name and text colour as he had in his dreams and hoped that someone would be able to find him like that.

Since this is actually the first time you'd tried to use this in real life you're actually kind of bad at it but with a little fumbling with the client you found a 'add chum' button and you click on that.

A box appeared and you look at it for a minute because you're now realising that you're doing. You type in John's Chumhandle and wait a second before it goes through.

Okay, um, wow, okay. It actually worked.

You repeat this with Jade's and Rose's and the same thing happens.

You guess you weren't that smart and thought of it first. At least you did.

At the same time three boxes popped up, they're messages from John, Rose and Jade. They all say the same thing, each in their own text and quirks, but they all mean the same thing and that thing is 'let's meet up' and you doesn't think you've has typed 'yes' faster before in your life.

* * *

Title from Hello Saferide's song called "Long Loss Penpal".


	4. 4 o'Clock, Never Let Me Sleep

**Dave: Freak out**

You're doing that right now pretty well on the inside, thanks. And the reason you're freaking out is because you've decided you'd meet up with John, Rose and Jade without really thinking and now you're going to have to tell your parents and Bro that you're going to have to tell them you're meeting up with these guys.

You've haven't talked to any of them since you tried to explain to them SBURB and your dream friends. You think they don't want anything to do with you and you're not surprised. You'd think you're crazy, too. You know you should be upset about that but you just don't seem to be, might have something to do with the fact you don't remember them.

Oddly enough though, you do seem to miss talking to Bro. That might have something to do with during your dreams you did have a brother sort of like Bro. But Bro doesn't matter right now. Bro isn't your friends.

**Dave: Tell them you scaredy cat**

You're planning on doing that right now, actually, what great timing.

You casually stroll into the living where everyone is watching TV and stand in the doorway until your mum notices you. "Are you okay, sweetie?" she asks.

"There's, um, something I wanna tell you guys, actually," you reply.

Dad turns the TV off. "What is it?" he asks and you can tell he is slightly annoyed with you still.

You sit yourself on one of the chair facing your parents and Bro, "I'm wanna meet up with the guys."

Mum almost chokes on her tea in complete shock. You knew you shouldn't have told them. Maybe you should have just gone off without saying anything but it's too late now.

"You want to do what?" Dad exclaims.

"No, I said that wrong, _I am _meeting up with my dream bros."

"Dave, honey," Mum says, "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"I think it is," Bro says.

"You do?" Dad asks.

"Huh?" you ask, dumbfounded.

"Yeah I do. Something's happened to Dave that's happened to these three other people, maybe they could be helped with what the problem with them could be solved if they all got together and got one big group therapy done or something," Bro explains and your parents nod at him in understanding.

It isn't what you wanted to do. You didn't want a group therapy thing. You wanted to meet up with your game friends and get to know these people in real life and be in real life friends. You do get where Bro is going with this, though.

"Yes, that does sound like a good idea," Mum says, "don't you think, dear?"

"I suppose it does," Dad says.

You smile because it's better than nothing.

**Dave: Tell your dream bros the news**

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, you should do that.

You throw yourself onto your bed with your iPhone and log onto Pesterchum. Jade was the only person online right now so you decided to try her first just because you don't think you could wait for everyone else to log on.

- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 15:00 –

TG: sup

GG: hey dave :D!

GG: whats up coolkid?

TG: nm

TG: talked to my folks today

GG: :o what happened?

TG: i told them about the plan to get together

TG: they weren't to happy about it

TG: you know

TG: but bro said something and they changed their minds all quick

GG: what did your bro say?

TG: that we should meet for a group therapy session

TG: because weve got problems and all that jazz

GG: :/ i dont like the sound of that!

GG: were not crazy people or anything!

TG: i dont know about you harley

GG: hey! lolol

GG: i'm not crazy!

You continue to talk to Jade for about half an hour. You talk about your real lives, about how she's living with an old couple in the foster system and your problems with your family. You joke with her about how instead of a group therapy session you could just have a normal conversation with Rose.

You felt pretty good for that half an hour. It felt normal and it made you happy. You haven't felt so normal since you've woken up. Taking to your friends do that to you. You can just connect on such a different level then you could do with anyone else. And that's a nice feeling.

You stare at your ceiling in boredom and you begin to wonder. You wonder about stuff like what if you never woke up, what it would have been like if you never went into a coma, what it would be like if you really knew John, Rose and Jade.

You wonder and wonder and the more you wondered the more you wanted to know more about them and your dreams. You wanted to know if anyone has been in this situation before and, if so, how did they react to it. You think that'll be pretty cool.

Maybe you could even make your own game. Yeah, make your own SBURB, that'll be pretty awesome. You could have your own planets and God Tiers. There could be a different _Alternia_ with Trolls and everything. You'd have to tell your friends about this when you all meet up and maybe you could actually all make the game together and become rich and famous and stuff.

**Dave: Dream**

It's kind of hard to do that when you're lying awake in your bed, but you'll give it a shot.

Um.

Yeah.

No.

It's not working.

You aren't really feeling it.

**Dave: Pounder the meaning of life**

The meaning of life is 42, big whoop.

But you really should actually try that.

You lie on your back with your arms above you and you just stare at them, imaging if you could actually swing a sword or not; if you could actually kill someone. You imagine what death would feel like or being prototyped with a bird. What would it be like being Davesprite?

What would immortality really feel like? What would ascending to God Tier feel like? Would you feel the pain from dying on your quest bed?

All these ideas and theories and thoughts fill your head and you can't help but try and pounder every idea and possibility.

You start to wonder if the others to this too? Would they ever lie in bed wide awake at four in the morning thinking about this stuff? You think they actually might.

**Dave: Finally fall asleep and dream already**

Aye aye captain! But, seriously, calm your farm. Hold your horses.

Whenever you sleep you're disappointed about the lack of Derse and everything. You find sleeping kind of disappointing about it. You found it kind of funny when you would fall asleep and wake up on Derse when, in real life, you're already sleeping.

Tomorrow, you'd tell John and Rose about the meet up.

* * *

Title from Emilie Autumn's "4 o'Clock".


	5. What If

**Dave: Wake up, you got shit to do**

You're already on it buddy. You have awaken and showered and dressed and all you have to do is wait until Rose and John get online. You've been waiting for ten minutes now. You're starting to think watching paint dry would be more fun. Waiting is just so boring.

You slump in your computer chair, letting out a deep sigh of annoyance. From your slumping position you can see the camera you threw on the desk beside your bed. You still haven't checked that out yet. Perhaps you should do that while you wait for your friends to get online.

You spare one more glace at the computer screen to double check if neither of them are online before logging off and getting the camera.

You doubt actually taking pictures would be hard, but taking some better ones, professional ones, like a few of the photos they are pegged onto the string on your roof. But how hard could that be? Point the camera and snap the photo? You got this shit in the bag.

You make your way onto the roof; you should be able to get something at least semi-decent up here even without any actual skills what-so-ever. You walk over to the edge of the building and stare off the edge. Oh God it was a long way down, you hope you don't fall.

You can see the streets down below. People rushing here and there litter the sidewalks; from up here they look like little ants. Since it's a school day there aren't really any kids hanging around, the odd kid with their parent or a group of misfits skipping, but that's it.

It has only been a week since you've woke up and your parents aren't feeling that you're ready to go back to school yet, especially after the past couple of days. John and Jade haven't been told to go to school yet, either. Rose, on the other hand, has jumped back into the chance to go to school as soon as she got the chance. You're not too sure if it's because a) she loves school (and you're not surprised if she does), b) she wanted to get away from your mother (again, you're not doubting it), and c) she's recovered better than the rest of you (still not surprising).

You lower yourself to sit on the concrete wall, camera in hand, and continue your intense game of people watching. Watching people has become one of your biggest pastimes recently, probably because there weren't many people before – just you kids and those Trolls.

Whatever has happened to them, anyways? Are they still on Alternia? Does that place even exist anymore?

You push those thoughts from your mind and point the camera at the people pasting by below you. Right now it's about taking photos of things, not about your dreams.

After an hour you've taken some pretty good photos - some better than others – you think. They're not as good as the ones hanging over your room already but you're good for a beginner. Well, a sort of beginner, you suppose.

You head back inside making a beeline for your room. When you get in there you head straight for your computer and log onto Pesterchum.

**Dave: Be bombarded **

What do you mean bombarded? Bombarded by what, exactly? By wild animals that escaped from the zoo? Why crazy people who have escaped from the nuthouse? It turns out to be neither of those two ridiculous ideas, fortunately.

You are, however, bombarded with John's bright blue text,

- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 12:00 –-

EB: hey dave!

EB: how is it going?

TG: sup egderp

EB: youre still calling me egderp?

EB: i thought you would have grew up.

TG: i wouldnt be the same dave strider you know and love if i didn't

TG: you would disown me

TG: reject me

TG: i would be nothing anymore

EB: haha.

EB: if you say so dave :).

TG: yeah

TG: i do say so and quietly nicely if you ask me

EB: yeah yeah.

EB: so anyways.

EB: jade said you had something to say.

TG: oh yeah right that

TG: were gonna have that meet up

EB: we are? cool!

TG: on one condition

TG: its gotta be for a group therapy session shit

EB: why?

TG: because, my derpy little friend, we have issues that comes with saving an imaginary world in our sleep

EB: shut up dave.

EB: have you told rose yet?

TG: not yet

TG: i haven't talked to her in a while cuz she hasnt been online

TG: that little bitch

EB: rose is not a bitch dave.

TG: youre only saying that because you havent been related to her before

EB: would you be related anymore?

TG: dunnn

TG: maybe

A little ping brought you from your conversation with John. And, speak of the Devil (both literally and figuratively), it's Rose who just messaged you.

- tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 12:13-

TT: Hello dearest friend of mine.

TT: I have been informed you have something to tell me.

You read her messages quickly before going back to John.

TG: the harlot is calling

EB: dont call her that dave haha!

EB: dad is calling.

EB: see you later!

- ectoBiologist ceased pestering turntechGodhead -

You close the message window with John and go back to the one between you and Rose.

TT: What's that something you have to tell me?

TG: calm down lalonde

TG: were got the meet up

TG its all scheduled and planned and ready to go and youre gonna love it

TT: I'm sure I am.

TG: no seriously youd love this

TT: Yes, I'm seriously sure I would. Why would I love this meet up so much, Dave?

TG: because its gonna be a group therapy session

TG: know how much you love that picking apart the brain bullshit

TG: youll have the time of your life

TT: Oh yes, as thrilling as that sounds, picking apart someone's brain is only fun when it's not your own.

TT: But a chance to meet is a chance to meet nonetheless. When is it happening?

You raddle off the details of the meet up day, say your goodbyes and log off.

Now you're thinking if you should have asked her if you're still related. Why would your minds make yourself related for no reason? They should be some sort of reason that happened.

What if Bro have a one night fling with Rose's mum and she got pregnant. A shiver goes up your spine at the thought of that. Yeah, thinking about your brother fucking your friend's mum isn't an image you want in your head right now.

**Dave: Remember that thing you were thinking about earlier that day**

Oh, yeah, the thing.

You're not taking photos anymore so you have time to think about the Trolls. You throw yourself on your bed. You're beginning to think you do more thinking in this bed then you do actually sleeping.

Where are they? Do they even exist anymore? Where they just made up characters to go along with your imagination? What if they're now real people? For all you know you could be walking past one whenever you leave the house.

You suddenly have a good idea. Or at least you hope it would be a good idea. You remembered when you typed in everyone's Chumhandle and they all came up. Well, it worked for them so why wouldn't it work for the others?

Before you even try you think if it would be a good idea. Earth isn't like Alternia, killing people and things like that aren't legal here like they are there. You wouldn't be surprised if any of them were in jail by now.

You give it another thought and decided you would try and contact any of the Trolls after you've met the others. They might have tried the same thing and gotten nothing.

And, besides, you're feeling kind of hungry right now.

* * *

Title from Emilie Autumn's song called "What If".


	6. Talk About Life

**Dave: Wish you could fall into another coma**

Falling into a coma would be awesome right now. But by the end of the day you think you might die from embarrassment instead. Dying, you guess, would be so much better. With a coma you can wake up but with death it's permanent. Permanently nothing sound great right now.

"Come on, you don't want to be late, would you?" your mum asks, waiting at the front door. Today's the day you're meant to have that group therapy session with John, Rose and Jade. You have flown down to Michigan to where Jade now lives since her carers and old and can't really fly anymore and Jade doesn't want to leave them. And, besides, the house is big enough to hold everyone so it's a good idea.

For now, though, you're staying a motel. You got to Michigan too late last night so your parents thought it would be better to sleep over at a motel instead of troubling Jade's carers this late. After the session you'd be moved into the house.

"Oh, no," you reply with full sarcasm, "we couldn't have that could we." It wasn't a question and Mum knows it so she doesn't say anything but expect an eye roll.

Dad is already waiting in the rental car you hired for while you are here. He was flicking through the newspaper, looking seriously bored and uninterested. Damn he was impatient. Mum said that was you used to be like. She emphasised 'used' like I've now became a rotten creature.

The drive to the building where the therapy session is going down was filled with annoyance and tension in the air.

And damn, a permanent coma would be pretty fucking amazing right now.

**Dave: Perhaps Dave needs a few minutes to himself**

Yeah, that's a pretty good idea, you should do that. Why not be someone else for a change?

**Dave: Be Bro**

There is no sense in being Bro because Bro is sleeping and there is nothing interesting about a sleeping Bro. And you wouldn't want to wake him, would you?

**Dave: Be John**

Okay, being John is okay. Awesome, lets blow this Popsicle stand known as Dave.

**John: Complain**

Good idea. Complaining sounds awesome right now because you're sick of waiting and when you're bored and sick of waiting you like to complain so everyone knows bored and sick of waiting you are.

"Daaaaaaaaad I'm booooooooooooored," you whine and damn you're good at it, "where are the others?"

"They're coming, son," Dad replies, stressed. He's been sounding stressed for a while now, ever since you've woken up from the coma.

You know Dad is happy that you're awake now but you also know that you being awake have put a different type of stress on him. The stress of knowing your son has amnesia and his only memories are of a game that doesn't exist.

"But they're not here."

"They will be soon."

As if those words were a gift a car pulled up in the parking look and through the windows you could see Jade and her carers, George and Margret.

Jade flew out of the car and before you could even make sense of it all Jade had you wrapped in her arms, your black hair tickling your skin. After you regained your sense of balance you hugged her back equally as tightly.

From the corner of your eye you could see Dad greet George and Margret but they mean nothing when you have Jade with you.

When she pulled back you got a better look at her face. She's looks pretty much the same as she did in your dreams expect she isn't as tanned. Her bright green eyes are still framed by her big, round glasses. She's lost the shirt and long skirt, though. But, all in all, she is definitely Jade Harley.

"John!" she exclaims with a look of happiness and just a little shock. You could believe it either, honestly.

You laugh, "Hey Jade."

"Oh my God, it is really you. Like, really, really you! Real life you!" Jade turns towards George and Margret with her index finger pointing up in mock anger, "I told you he was real."

Her carers just smile and laugh fondly. They really do love her, you guess.

"Yeah, it is the real life me, Jade," you reply, still a little giggly and shaky from laughing.

"Where are the others?" she asks.

"Not here yet," you reply, looking over your shoulder to see if another car could pull up but none came.

"I thought I was gonna be the first one here since I actually know the way around, you know? But guess I wasn't," she laughs.

"Haha, yeah. We thought we would be late, being new and all so we left a little too early," you say.

**John: Complain to Jade now**

Awesome, more complaining! You love doing this, mainly to annoy me but sometimes you're genuinely complaining about something, like now.

"Why aren't they hear yet?" you mumble, sitting next to Jade on the ground outside of the building.

"They'll be here soon, John," she says.

"That's what Dad said."

"And what happened when I said it?" your Dad asks from above you, smiling down at you like he's won – which he has, really.

"And Jade came," you reply in defeat, "but they need to get here quicker."

"They'll get here when they get here, dear," Margret says sweetly.

You huff in annoyance but say nothing, just pulling your knees to your chest and wrapping your arms around them, chin resting on your knees.

"How's it been for you?" Jade asks.

You take a moment to think over the past couple of days before giving an answer, "weird," you say and Jade nods, "like, I remember nothing, just a make-believe end of the world game, you know? And, like, I wake up with a Dad who's alive but not my real-actual Dad from the game kinda thing. Just… weird."

"I know what you mean," Jade tells you, staring at her hands which are placed in her lap, "it wasn't the same for me. Like, waking up on a _Pacific Island was super weird since that's where I live then, you know, with my Grandpa and stuff. But I wake up with no memory of all that. A different house, different people. I didn't have to get used to having a dad or a brother or a mum because I got a totally new family."_

_When she finishes speaking she's wearing a grin from ear to ear while looking at _George and Margret.

"But it was still hard, right?" you ask.

"Oh yeah, it was. I was calling out for Bec and everything but no one came and turns out Bec doesn't really exist and I felt, like, dead in the inside about it."

"At least Dad doesn't make cakes anymore."

You and Jade laugh at that. It felt so natural to be laughing with her – just sitting next to her was natural. You don't even feel like you've been away from each other before; like you're seeing an old friend after not seeing them for months.

**John: CAR!**

You're not too sure what that action means. Be a car… drive a car… say car… yell car?

**John: The last one, stupid**

Wow, that was harsh but you follow on with this action because you do see a car pull into the car park.

"Car!" you yell, pointing to the car that just pulled up in front of the group of you.

"Egbert," someone says, pointing to you when they get out of the car. And holy fuck its Dave.

"Strider!" Jade yells, joining it.

"Harley," he says all monotone Striders do. He looks around before saying, "Rose not here, yet?"

"Not yet," Jade replies.

"She's trying to be fashionably late," you say.

"She can't be fashionably anything," Dave says.

"Who can't be fashionably anything?" you hear a voice from somewhere behind Dave.

Dave moves out of the way and you can see Rose and her mum walking up to the group already here.

"Did you walk here?" Dad asks, confused about there being no car in sight.

"No, parked down the road," her mum says.

"Why don't we go inside now?" a man you assume to be Dave's dad suggests.

**John: Dave seems fine, let's go back to him**

If you insist.

**Dave: Be all happy-shocked**

You are now a new emotion called 'happy-shocked' which is just a combination of 'happy' and 'shocked' and it is a good and very accurate description of you.

As you walk in the door of the building you're slightly thrown off about how the place looks. You were thinking it would be bright colours and shitty things like beanbags and posters of One Direction and Justin Beiber and Taylor Swift. The sorts of things adults thought kids like. But it wasn't.

It was a simple room, the waiting area/reception area. It had white walls with a black feature one at the back, black and red couches set around a couple of white tables which were littered with magazines and pieces of paper that informal you with things such as depression, self-harm, drugs and sexuality. In one corner was a jukebox and in another was what looked like one of those red telephone boxes they have in England. All in all, it was a nice looking place.

You walk up the reception desk where there was a middle aged blonde lady speaking to someone on one of those headset things. The reception area looked kind of fancy. You waited a moment before she was finished and turned towards you, "hello, can I help you?" she asks.

"We have a group appointment at one," Dad says.

"Okay, let me just check," she says before turning to type something into the computer, "Is that the… Egbert-Stider-Lalonde-Harley group?"

"That'll be us," Dad confirms.

"Awesome, just take a seat and someone will be out to see you in a second. Until then, take these and fill them out," she instructs, handing over some paper.

You all take a seat on some of the couches and look at the paper in front of you. The questions were pretty easy and straightforward.

'Why did you come here today?' one of the questions ask. You quickly scribble down a 'because my parents think I'm crazy and I have amnesia'. You think that covers it nicely.

You fly through the questions quickly and by the time you're done a man is coming out of a hallway on the other side of the room. He walks over to where you're sitting, "John, Dave, Rose and Jade you can come back now; bring the papers with you, too," he says, "would you be coming back, too?" he asks your parents.

They quickly look at each other, shrugging and it seems like they're having a weird telepathic conversation before George says, "we'll let them go off on their own."

Thank fuck. You don't think you could be opening up to anyone and pouring out all your feelings if they're there.

* * *

Title from Hello Saferide's song "My Best Friend".


	7. Oh, Dr John What Am I Doing?

**Dave: Be cool**

But aren't you always?

**Dave: Be aloof**

Not really the best word but it does get the message over a bit better. You'll now be aloof, like a Strider should be in the beginning without being directed to be. Your Strider-style is a little off – you might need to fix that up sometime soon.

**Dave: Move onto the point **

Ouch, that was a little bunt. You know you ramble and all but that wasn't very nice you were getting to that. Christ on a cracker. But as you wish.

You and your friends were led down a long hallway, twisting this way and that, splitting into separate rooms – some of those rooms led into a different room while others seemed to be the rooms people would sit in while they were getting their brains picked apart by these weirdos. Seriously, who would want to explore the inner workings of the brain that belonged to a person with issues?

Granted, the guy who's picking apart your brain today – his name's Andy you found out earlier – seemed like an okay guy. His jacket and shoes look real nice and expensive.

After what felt like a life time of walking through corridors Andy led all four of you into a blue painted room with simple black and white furniture. There wasn't much in there, just two black couches, a computer with a chair, a filing cabinet in the corner of the room and a white table in between the couches. You guessed the colours were meant to be a soothing thing.

You sat down on the couch closest the door and you barely managed to fit everyone, in the end Jade was half way on Rose's lap and if you weren't pressed so close to John it would be funny as hell.

Andy takes the couch on the other side of the table, opening a multi-purpose book and a pen, scribbling a little note at the top. When he was done with that he lifted his head up to you at you.

"Now that your parents aren't here, why don't you explain why you're here?" he asks with his pen ready to scrawl something else down.

We look between each other to see who was going to say anything first but I remembered that I was the one who decided to do this thing so I should be the one to reply.

"Well," you say, "I was – all three of us were – in a coma for like, three years and like clockwork we all woke up at the same time. We didn't remember our families or friends or anything like that. We only remembered this stupid game and each other."

Andy scribbles this down quickly. You notice his handwriting is just as bad as a doctor's. "What was this game like?" he asked.

"Shitty," you say.

"It was kinda scary," John says.

"It was like a huge adventure," Jade said.

"It was interesting," Rose says.

Andy writes down your answers as dot points down the side of the page with what you assume to be your names beside it.

"Okay, and what type of game was it?"

"An apocalyptic situation where me, and these three others, entered something called the 'Medium' and our own planets. We had things called 'Dream selves' who lived on planets called Derse and Prospit. Our job was to make a new universe," Rose explains and Andy writes down what she said.

"I was in charge of the frog breeding!" Jade says proudly.

"Frog breeding?" Andy asks.

"Mmmhmm, I had to create the Genesis Frog."

"And what is this 'Genesis Frog?"

"It's the universe!"

Andy writes down that, too and you're not surprised if he thinks she's crazy. You would think she's crazy if you were him. But it's his job to listen to people like you.

"He universe is inside this frog; this frog is literally our universe," Rose elaborates.

Andy writes that down beside whatever he wrote for what Jade said. On the page the words just look like ink spatters running into each other all over the top half of the page.

"What did you guys do?" Andy asked the rest of us.

"I was their friendleader," John replies.

"What's a friendleader?" Andy asks.

"Well, I'm a friend but I'm also a leader so I am a friendleader," John explains, hands flailing around his head in dramatic gestures like he does. John likes to talk with his hands.

With that written down he points to Rose, asking her about her role in the game. "I was John's server player and a Seer of Light – which was my god tier. I also went Grimdark." Rose says.

"What's a 'god tier?" Andy asks.

"It means we're immortal gods and stuff," John says.

"It means we're heroes," you say.

**Dave: Realise you finally talked**

Holy fuck you did.

**Dave: Regret it**

You already do.

**Dave: Go along with it**

And go along with it you will.

"Heroes… what kind of heroes?"

"Like Rose said. She's a Hero of Light; John's a Hero of Breath and Jade's a Hero of Space," you explain, missing yourself. A part of you still feels like you shouldn't refer to yourself as a hero.

After writing what you said down, Andy asks you, "what about you?"

"What about me?"

"What was your title?"

"He was a Hero of Time – he was the Knight of Time," Rose says.

Andy writes that down. You notice there is a poorly drawn table written on the page. There are four columns and the heading of each column was your names. Below your names is everything you have said above yourself. Your column is looking sadly empty.

"Did you do anything else?" he asks.

"Not really," you say offhandedly. You don't like being asked these questions. You didn't want to talk to this guy to begin with.

"Now that you have finally met, do you think everyone is the same as they were? Or do you think they've changed?" Andy asks.

"I think we've all changed. We weren't all the same as we were in the game," Rose says. You can tell she loves this session.

"How have these guys changed?"

"They didn't change, per say. But they are defiantly not the same as they were in the game."

"Give me an example."

Rose looks between the three of you before landing on you. You can see the twinkle in her eyes and that tiny smirk playing on her lips when you come to realise she's using you for the example. You glare half-heartedly at her through your shades. You wonder why you wear them. In photos of yourself you never wore them. Mum said you were proud to be albino.

"Dave," she says, "he isn't as much of a 'coolkid' as he acted. The wall he built with the coolkid façade isn't there anymore no matter how much he tries to put it back up. I feel like how we acted in the dreams was how we wished we were."

Andy writes that down and, as he does that, he asks you, "do you think that's true."

"Nope," your reply was snappy.

"If you were the same you would have had a huge ramble on about how untrue it was," Rose remarks.

Damn, she's got you.

**Dave: Give in, she's got you**

You suppose you're going to have to. But you don't want to.

"Okay Lalonde," you challenge, "how much have you changed?"

"As I said, we haven't changed. We were just who we wanted to be. For me I would say that I'm not as snarky or anything of the sort."

"Why did you even want to be snarky?"

"I chose to be like that because in real life, from what I heard, I was very quiet. People walked over and used me a lot. I was easy to read and wasn't all that smart. But, in the game, I was very much different," she explains and it makes sense.

"Are you saying I'm not cool?" you ask her, "are you saying that I'm actually an emotion basket case?"

"If I'm right, then you were something like that. Your coolkid act would have been just that, an act. You thought since, in real life, you weren't very calm or stoic so, when you could choose your personality, you picked another one different to your original one because you didn't like your real-life personality."

Andy breaks your little conversation by saying to John and Jade, "were you anything like this, do you know?"

"I was talking to my dad about what my life was like and he said I was very mean and I didn't like jokes and I was very sarcastic. He said I could kinda rude and stuff. He honestly said to my face 'John Egbert, my son, you are actually a huge a-hole," John says with a laugh.

"And you're not like that anymore?" Andy asks.

"Of course not," John says, "I'm a huge goofball and stuff."

"Do you agree with this?" Andy asks the rest of us and yes, we do agree. Rose might actually be onto something. Of course she is. You wish she stayed dumb.

"What were you like before?" Andy asked Jade.

"I was very dull and moody. I didn't really like people and had a few problems like insomnia and depression," she says.

"I wouldn't have had a clue," you say to her sarcastically.

**Dave: Loosen up**

You're in the process of that, actually. You understand a few things much better now. You couldn't have imagined yourself to be anything different from the total coolkid you are. Emotional? Yeah, right. But Rose does have a point and you haven't really asked them about how you acted and stuff before. You jumped into finding everyone.

"Okay," Andy says, going through his notes, circling something, "I want to go back to this god tier thing. You said you become immortal… Gods… and heroes. How exactly do you become god tier? Do you level up? To you unlock something? Or is it like a cheat?"

"We have to die on our quest beds," you say.

"What's a quest bed?" Andy asks.

"It's a bed that you die on. It's made of stone and had the symbol of whatever aspect you're ascending to on it. You have to die on the bed and you ascend," John explains with his hand gestures.

"Did dying hurt?" he asks.

You look around, moving your eyes around the room behind your glasses. Out of all your alternative Daves and seeing your own dead body and even becoming a fucking bird, you kind of feel like answering this question.

"The dying didn't really hurt. It did, but it didn't. It's kinda like when you have a nightmare. You freak out at the time and you're scared at the time but when it's done it isn't really something that's painful anymore. It's painful for the moment but then it gets better," you answer.

"What did becoming a bird feel like?" Jade asks you.

"What did becoming a dog feel like?" you retort.

"That wasn't very nice, Dave," she says back, holding a hand to your chest where her heart is in mock-sadness.

You smile slightly. It would nothing to obvious you hope.

**Dave: Get sick of doing stuff**

How can you be sick of this?

**Dave: Be someone else**

Fine, be that way.

**Dave: Be Rose**

You are now Rose. You think you're going to like to be Rose because she's isn't be mean like Dave is right now.

**Rose: Catch that**

You caught it and you're not storing it in the depths of your mind, waiting to be pulled out and be used.

You saw that smile Dave smiled and when you get to Jade's house, you're going to ask him about it. You love doing that to Dave.

* * *

Title from Mika's song "Dr John".  
I'm also thinking about getting a Beta reader if anyone's interested.


	8. When Can I See You?

**Rose: Find the boy**

You're on that right now. You're doing your best in trying to find him but your searching has ended only in failure. You didn't know how hard it would be to find one Dave Strider. You checked every room you could in the house – the lounge room, the dining room, the kitchen, the bathroom, Jade bedroom and the guest bedrooms – but you still can't find him.

Then you remember you haven't checked outside. You hit yourself on the inside for missing it. You start walking outside, your eye peeled wide open for Dave.

**Rose: Really find the boy**

Ah, yes, you have. You find him moping around – or at least you assume he's moping – outside, looking at the small pond in the yard full of fishes. He's staring down at the fishes, hitting a lily pad gently with his fingertips.

You take a seat next to him, just staring at the pond with him for a moment or two. The both of you enjoying each other's company; something you wish you could do more of.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly. He didn't sound rude or anything like that. He sounded sad more than anything.

"I saw you smiling back there," you say, "you're happy aren't you?"

"No Lalonde, people smile when they're angry," he shoots back, still not in any sort of rudeness or angry.

"Is something the matter?" you ask.

"I don't know Rose," he replies, "like… I just don't know. I don't think I should be happy or anything like that."

"And why is that?"

"Because I wasn't happy when I was with my family. I know I don't know them or anything, but… they're my family and I should feel happy to be around them no matter what… you know?"

It wasn't really a question but you answer anyway, "I do know how it feels. Whenever I come home from school, I always get shocked – and sometimes even appalled – when I don't see my mother drinking."

"She doesn't do that?" Dave asks, genuinely shocked.

"No, she doesn't. I highly doubt your brother actually has that puppet."

"What Lil Cal? He might for all I know. I don't go near that guy's room."

"You called him 'that guy' instead of 'bro'…" you say, mainly to yourself than to Dave but he picks it up.

"What? It makes sense not to call him my bro there. It was perfectly okay," he retorts.

He's right. You're just reading too much into it is all.

The remainder of the sit outside was fairly quiet. You talked quietly together while looking at the fishes swim around underneath the lily pads.

**Rose: Chat**

You're in the middle of doing that now. You and the three others have gathered around in the lounge room, chatting about normal life, as boring as that actually sounds now.

"Have any of you guys thought about trying to find the Trolls or anything like that?" Dave asks, suddenly.

"No," John says, "they wouldn't exist now, would they? They weren't exactly human."

"We weren't exactly all human before. We turned into sprites and immortal gods and shit. Oh yeah, totally human that is," Dave says back.

"I think it would be a nice idea to try," you interject before some sort of argument broke out between them.

"Yeah!" Jade agrees, "It would be awesome if we could talk to the Trolls. We could even meet up with them or something."

John sighs in defeat, "I guess it would be a good idea if they're humans."

Dave pulls out his iPhone from his jean's pocket, "only one way knowing." He opens up the Pesterchum app on his phone, pressing 'add chum' before asking, "who?"

"Karkat!" Jade suggests.

"Kanaya," you suggest.

"Vriska," John suggests.

"Jade was first," was all Dave says before his fingers begin to fly over the screen of his phone.

We said for a moment, waiting for some kind of answer.

**Rose: Be slightly surprised**

You are slightly, yes.

After a second or two the request goes through. You guess that Dave used the Trollhandle from the dream considering he didn't know any other one. You wonder if the Trolls were thinking the same things as you were. You wonder if they have thought about contacting you but had second thoughts.

"What should we say?" Dave asks, fingers hovering over the keypad, "something like 'hey Karkat me and my friends had these dreams and shit about you when we're in a coma and we're wondering if you know who the fuck we are'."

"Oh yeah, Dave," John says, "that's real good. I'm sure he'll be okay with that."

"How about something like 'sup Karkat'? Something you could normally say to him…" Jade suggests.

With a quick nod, Dave started typing out the message. A moment passed before a ping sounded from Dave's phone. Dave's lips curl up slightly. You guess something good appeared on his screen.

"What does it say?" you ask.

"It says 'what the fuck do you want asshole?'" Dave says, trying to sound angry.

"Does that mean he knows who you are?" you ask.

"Either that or he doesn't like someone knowing his name," John says.

"Karkat doesn't usually like anyone know anything about him," Jade says.

"He could be like us if he went into a coma, too. Perhaps he wants people to know things about him. For example, he had mutant blood on ours dreams, right? Maybe he has another… mutation, he doesn't want anyone to know about," you say. You're not saying you know they're just thoughts. Thoughts you're speaking as you think them.

"What if he has, like, orange blood," Jade giggles.

"Or not blood," John joins her in a fit of giggles. They clutch their sides as they giggle so hard, Jade resting her head on John's shoulder.

"I doubt it would have something about this blood this time," you reason.

"So, what do we assholes want?" Dave asks, changing the subject. Or getting back to subject, you suppose.

"Ask him if he's been in any comas lately," John says.

"Oh yes John," you say, "I'm sure he'll appreciate that."

Another ping goes off and Dave reads it out, "you don't just fucking message someone and then not reply, ass munch."

"May I?" you ask, holding your hand out so you can be handed the phone. Dave passes the phone to you with a quizzical look on his face.

**Rose: Do your thing**

You are not going to do your thing. 'Your thing' just means you're going to talk to Karkat in a hopefully more civilized matter as compared to what it would be if you let the others have free reign of the phone.

You switch change accounts before pestering Karkat.

- tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering carcinoGeneticist [CG] at 12:45 –

TT: Hello Karkat.

CG: WHAT DO YOU GUYS FUCKING WANT?

TT: Are either this one or the other one Chumhandles that you know?

CG: OF COURSE I KNOW BOTH OF THOSE CHUMHANDLES.

CG: IT'S KIND OF HARD NOT TO.

CG: YOU HAVEN'T ANSWERED MY FUCKING QUESTION EITHER. WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU SHIT STAINS WANT?

TT: We have been wondering if you and the other Trolls still exist in this reality.

CG: TROLLS? WE'RE NOT TROLLS ANYMORE. WE'RE HUMANS. WE'VE NEVER BEEN TROLLS. THAT WOULD BE FUCKING RIDICULOUS. WE WERE JUST TROLLS IN THOSE DREAMS. REAL TROLLS WOULD BE FUCKING RETARDED.

TT: Why haven't you thought about contacting us yet?

CG: BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ON WITH EACH OTHER. APPARENTLY THE HATE FROM DREAM DEATHS CARRIES ONTO THE REAL WORLD FOR SOME PEOPLE.

TT: Why don't we try anyway? Get all of us together and maybe we could put our conflicting emotions beside.

CG: I WOULDN'T BE ASKING ME. I WOULD BE ASKING THE IDIOTS WHO CAN'T PUT PRETEND DIFFERENCES BEHIND THEM.

TT: I'll see about it then.

- tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering carcinoGeneticist [CG] at 12:51 –

You hand the phone back to Dave wordlessly, the three others looking at you expectantly.

"Well?" Jade asks, leaning towards you.

"The twelve of them are having a little bit of a problem overcoming the obstacles of dream deaths," you say.

"So no meeting up with them?" John asks, sounding disappointed.

"Karkat said he wasn't the one to ask. He will be willing to have a meet up but he believes the others will have to be persuaded a little more."

John and Jade laugh and hug excitedly while you and Dave smile at each other.

* * *

Finally another chapter!

I'm un-considering considering a Beta reader just **because** more than anything. I dunno, just yeah.

I'm not too sure how many chapters this story has left, but it shouldn't be all that many. Kinda another reason not to have a Beta reader.

Chapter title from Owl City's "When Can I See You Again?".


	9. Road Trippin' Anywhere In The USA

**Rose: Swap**

Swap what? Swap your scarf knitting for some book reading? You'll need more information than 'swap'.

**Rose: Be someone else**

Ah, now that makes more sense. Yeah, you'll do that. Maybe even get back to the original main character of this adventure.

**Rose: Be the original main character of this adventure**

You are now the original main character of this adventure and that means your name is Dave Strider. You're not doing all too much; perhaps you should do something more productive.

**Dave: Be productive**

You don't feel like doing anything productive right now, thanks. Everyone is off doing their own thing – Rose is knitting, Jade is off doing her chores and John is looking through the extensive DVD collection in the lounge room. You, however, prefer to lie on your bed with your headphones in listening to your sick beats.

After your conversation with Karkat you all decided to pester the other not-anymore-Trolls with mixed results, some of them you could get a hold of and other's you couldn't. You guess they did fall off the rails a bit. People who had murderous tendencies aren't exactly people suited for the normal life.

Instead of doing a basic meet up like you did with the others you'll have to think of something else.

**Dave: Venture **

And venture you shall. And by venture you mean go to the kitchen because you're as adventurous as fuck. With a plan to slay an almighty cold-cut meat sandwich you make your way to the kitchen.

Exiting your bedroom you see a fluffy kitten sleeping beside your door. She was curled into one of those really weird sleeping positions cat do that never stop freaking you out.

"Hey Mutie," you say to the cat on your way out.

After Rose first woke up her mum was treating her like a princess – wanting to buy her expensive clothes, a new laptop or violet or a heap of books – but Rose didn't wanting any of that. The only Rose asked her mother to get for her was a little black kitten who she named Vodka Mutini, Mutie for short.

The cat just stretched and changed into another freaky position.

Asides from seeing Mutie you didn't run into anyone else and you're kind of glad for it. It wasn't like you were sick of the others – quite the opposite, in fact – but after the therapy and Karkat you need some Dave-time. Dave-time is the best time.

With your cold-cut meat sandwich in hand, you start to make your way back into your room.

"Hey Dave!" Jade calls you from the lounge room before you could get back to the safety of your bedroom.

"Sup Harley?" you ask from the entrance way to the lounge room. You're kind of pissed you're being stopped from eating this sandwich.

"We're planning," says Rose, leaning over the coffee table with a pen in hand.

"Insightful Rose," you deadpan. You make your way over to the three others. You know you're not going to be able to get away from this. Besides, you could always eat this beast-sandwich here.

"We're planning how we're going to meet up with the Trolls," Jade explains.

"They're not Trolls anymore Jade," John says tiredly as if he's been correcting her for quite some time.

You take a bite from your sandwich and you think you could totally become a chef. After you swallow you say, "yeah, we could totally rock up at the juvie and be it'll be all sweet."

"She'll be out soon," John says.

"And as soon as she's out she'll be right back in," you throw back.

Vriska was one of the best examples of why you shouldn't spend so long in the dream world as a Troll. After waking up she started doing what she does, breaking people's bones and stealing their shit. John didn't take this news too well.

"I'm sure we'll get a chance of meeting up with her too. Perhaps we could talk to her and get her on the right track somewhat," Rose says. You can tell by the tone of her voice that we're done with talking about Vriska.

"What are we even going to do with Gamzee?"

"There isn't much we can do about him," Rose says.

Gamzee is another one of those good examples. He got caught with drugs on school grounds and has fell off the radar since then. He's like sixteen and already on the run from the cops and doing a surprisingly good job. Either that or he's dead. You wouldn't be surprised if he is.

You take another bite of your sandwich before placing it aside on the plate and cracking your joints, let's get down to business.

You quickly read the notes on Rose's paper. Each of their names is written on the paper with spaces to write stuff. Next to Gamzee's names is 'n/a' written in Rose's perfect script. You kind of hope he won't be completely unavailable.

"The problem is that we all live all over the country," says Rose.

Meeting up here with Jade was an easy decision because we were able to make the trip and Jade couldn't bring herself to leave her careers seeing as they're too old to travel. But trying to get all sixteen of you all together might be a bit of a problem.

"We could… like… travel… to places… and road trip with them… places," Jade says, making her sentence up as she goes.

"Yeah!" John agrees, "that sounds fun!"

"We could see everything!" Jade continues, "I'll be just a huge adventure."

You flinch inwardly at the word 'adventure'. Frankly you've had enough adventure for the time being, granted road tripping is nothing like fighting to the death.

"How the fuck would we get around? We don't have a travel bus lying around or anything," you say.

We sit there for a minute, thinking. You do think it would be a good idea though. They haven't been able to see each other yet either. Could you rent travel busses? How much would that cost for fuel and everything though? What if you broke down? Yeah, no travel bus you think.

"I think George and Margret might have friends who travel around, out back camping and everything. They might have a caravan or something we could borrow," Jade suggests.

"Would they let us borrow it?" you ask, doubtfully.

You don't think going up to someone and saying 'yo, I'm looking for my dream bros and shit so I'm wondering if I could borrow your caravan and yeah thanks…' would be a good idea.

"I'm sure if we said it was for a learning experience or something they would be okay with it. They're huge nature freaks and would probably love it if we travelled around, seeing nature and stuff," Jade said, hopefully.

"We'll have to ask them then and hope they say yes," John says.

Fuck yeah, potential road trip.

* * *

I'm super-duper sorry about the super-duper late update. I've been super-duper sick and everything and I still am but I felt so shitty that I tried and get something out, even if this is the result. I know know why people don't write things while sick, it's so hard!

Chapter title from Red Hot Chili Peppers' song "Road Trippin'".


	10. Are We There Yet?

**Dave: Be proud**

When are you not? But, yeah, you are pretty proud of yourself.

The friends that Jade was talking about were happy to lend you their caravan for the sake of learning about this 'beautiful country we live in' (their words). In celebration you made a road trip mixed tape because there's nothing worse than a boring road trip to find dream bros.

As soon as the caravan was hooked up to the seven seater car they also lent you, your mixed tape was being played and fuck did it sound amazing. Of course it was going to though; you did make it yourself after all.

Your parents, Rose's mum and John's dad decided to head home after you got permission to borrow the caravan mainly just everyone could fit in the car without trouble or doing something illegal – you were going to strap John to the roof of the car but apparently that wasn't a good idea.

But here you are, road tripping with your three best friends looking for your potential other best friends. Shit's feeling pretty sweet right now.

**Dave: Sleep**

That's a good idea considering you've been up since the crack of dawn. While you sleep, let's find someone who isn't.

**Dave: Be someone who isn't asleep**

You are now someone who isn't asleep.

**Jade: Talk to Rose**

Well, right now you're talking at Rose but you don't mind. You just kind of want to talk and she's next to you. You've been rambling about nothing for at least the last twenty minutes. You love this road tripping stuff because it feels like an adventure and adventures are good. It could be like Ben 10 or something like that. Sadly, 'Jade 10' didn't have a nice ring to it.

You had given directions and states to your two carers so they could run the show. You aren't too sure where you're heading right now but you don't really care either, I'll be fun and you'll meet awesome people on the way. However, you don't know how we'll all fit in the car.

**Jade: Grumble**

You and John are doing that. At first this road tripping thing was fun but now it's kind of getting boring. It feels like you've been driving for years and you're legs and butt are starting to hurt. Road tripping, you conclude, actually sucks.

"This sucks!" you complain, slouching in your seat as much as your seat can allow you.

"It's not that bad," Rose says, not looking up from her book. You think she's only saying that because she has something to do.

"It really is that bad," John whines dramatically.

"Then sleep," Rose suggests, "Dave has gone to sleep."

"But I'm not tried," John whines again, "I'm bored."

"I'm not saying you are. Sleep could do you good and give you something do you."

"Sleeping's lame," you mutter, "I wanna be outside."

You lean past Rose and start running your fingers down the car windows, making an annoying squeaking sound.

"Jade, don't touch the glass it'll leave finger print and this isn't our car," Margret scolds, though rather gently.

You slid down in your seat, annoyed and bored and miserable. You feel like a dog that's been kept inside all day and needs to get out. Actually, being a dog would be kind of cool because dogs are always excited for something.

**Jade: Become a dog**

Sadly, it is impossible to become a dog and you haven't reached the point of boredom where you would act like a dog.

**Jade: Sulk**

Yep, you can do that. Actually, you reckon you could be an Olympic champion sulker right now. You'd get a gold medal in sulking and you'd become famous and everyone will know who you are because you're the world's bet sulker. Wow, that sounds like something Dave would say.

"Hey Jade," John whispers in your ear, although badly so it's more like just ordinary talking into your ear.

"Yeah, John?" you asks.

He whispers – talks – this plan into your ear and you smile.

**Jade: Do the thing**

You are now going to do the thing.

"Are we there yet?" John asks.

"No sweetie, we aren't," Margret replies.

About five minutes later you ask, "are we there yet?"

"No, we aren't," Margret replies again.

Another five minutes later John asks again, "are you sure we aren't there yet?"

"I'm positive we aren't there yet," Margret replies yet again.

Another five minutes passed before you asks, "are you super-duper sure that weren't there yet?"

"We aren't there yet Jade," Margret replies, getting a little more.

You and John giggle quietly together, smiling over at Rose as she stares at you oddly and probably slightly annoyed, also. Dave hasn't woken up yet.

Margret and George both sit tightly in their seat, waiting for one of you to say something annoying but, after five minutes did pass, they loosen up after you didn't say anything. You saw their shoulders visibly drop and you couldn't help but giggle because you both aren't done yet.

**Jade: Continue onto phrase two of the thing**

Ah yes, phrase two. Phrase two is more or less the same as phase one so it isn't actually that big of deal.

"Are," John says.

"We," you say.

"There," John says.

"Yet?" you say.

"No. We. Are. Not," George says pausing between words so it sounded kind of like how you and John did.

You two sit quiet again for another ten minutes.

**Jade: Start phase three of the thing**

You're starting to think that 'the thing' should be capitalised so it was like 'The Thing' because 'The Thing' sounds so much better than 'the thing', don't you think?

You motion to John that the third phase is going to start by holding up three fingers down at your sides.

"Are we there yet?" both you and John asked at the same time.

"If you don't stop asking I'll make sure we drive even further so we never get there," George says.

Both you and john deflate in your seats.

"That's sucks," you mutter.

"This is so laaaame," John whines.

Road tripping is so shitty and annoying and it makes your butt hurt. You don't see how people can normally do this.

* * *

Oh Em Gee, this chapter was almost the death of me. It wasn't until I started writing this one did I realise how little I know about the states in America so don't expect to see any actual state names in this story guys. Sorry it's short too, I'm preparing myself for a huge-ass Romeo and Juliet essay in, like, two days. Holidays should be like a week or so. Updates will be whenever I update during the holidays.

Chapter title isn't from anything this time, just is really fitting.


	11. Nobody Knows What It's Like

**Jade: OMG you're DYING**

Oh God, you are though. This is so not fun. Screw adventure! Screw adventure right up its adventurous ass. Urgh. Perhaps you would sleep.

**Jade: See who's awake**

Rose is still reading her book so she's awake, John has been trying to sleep for the last ten minutes but he hasn't been able to doze off completely and Dave is still asleep. You're thinking he might have passed out or something. He probably died of boredom.

**Jade: Be Rose**

No, you can't be Rose because Rose doesn't want to be disturbed because she's reading. Please have some courtesy.

**Jade: Be John**

But John is trying to sleep. Would you really want to wake him up completely? The poor guys tired.

**Jade: Be Dave**

You can't be Dave either because Dave is currently still sleeping. You can't just wake him up, geez rude.

**Jade: Urgh**

That isn't exactly an action but that's kind of how you're feeling right now. Urgh is a nice feeling though. You're going to be urgh from now on and everyone should be too. Sadly no one else can be because they're already preoccupied with doing other things.

This is going to be the death of you, you think. You need to talk to someone and do something! Anything! You have been shushed and silenced for too long and if you weren't so tried you would hold a protest.

**Jade: Meet some new people**

What? How? You're in a car, idiot.

**Jade: Meet a new character for this mind numbingly boring adventure**

You can do that. Yeah, that sounds awesome. You can sleep now.

**Jade: Be that new character for this mind numbingly boring adventure**

You are now the new character for this mind numbingly boring adventure and your name is Karkat Vantas and your kind of super pissed off right now. Not that that's a shocker or anything. But you're pissed off and that means everyone is just going to have to deal – but you think they can by now.

You see, your mother brought you the wrong colour hair dye and now it's going to look like you dye your hair. That isn't okay. She brought 'dark brown' instead of 'dark CHESTNUT brown', you even wrote the right colour on the shopping list. Chestnut under lined several times.

You used the dye anyway. You're thinking your mother thought if she brought the wrong dye you wouldn't use it. Ha, fat chance. "You're unique" she says but you're sick of being unique because from what you know, unique could get you killed.

You throw the empty packet into the bin in the bathroom before storming out angrily; you want everyone to know how angry you are, especially your mother. They can deal and they should know how to now.

You're still not too sure about calling her 'mother' or 'mum' or any of those kinds of names. You try to call her those sorts of names but the way it sounds when it rolls off your tongue is just so awkward. You have accidently called her 'crabdad' once but thankfully she took kindly to it. She's been doing that for everything. Christian people are so passive, it's weird.

**Karkat: Go back to isolation**

That's a perfect idea. You kind of hope isolation is somewhere out into the woods but it just means your bedroom which is okay too you guess. At least other people don't go in there which is isolation enough.

When you enter your room you make sure the slam the door because you're trying to prove a point that hair dye is something you can just mix up and think you'll be okay with it. You walk over to your bed and flop down unceremoniously onto it, causing the bed to rock back hard and hit the wall. Good, you hope there's a hole in it.

You lift your laptop off the floor and onto your lap. You're glad your mother brought you it as a 'welcome back' gift even if the you who came home wasn't the you who she knows.

The four kids said they would pester you when they're on their way to see you. They didn't say who they would be visiting first but since they're coming from where Jade lives it would be somewhere close to Michigan before anywhere else. While you wouldn't say anything out loud you are shitting yourself over this.

You open up Pesterchum and just leave it to sit quietly just in case someone wants to pester you and just mess around on the internet doing nothing productive at all. You have a pile of school work sitting beside you that your brother brought him for you from school since you refuse to attend. Your mother wasn't too happy about it but you don't really care. People suck.

**Karkat: Freak out**

Only internally.

**Karkat: Freak out internally**

That's better. You are now freaking out internally because holy shit someone just pestered you. Part of you hopes it isn't them another part of you hopes to Hell it is them.

When you check who it actually is it's just Terezi.

- gallowsCalibrator [GC] began pestering carcinoGeneticist [CG] at 15:30 –

GC: H3Y K4RK4T  
GC: HOW YOU DO1NG?

CG: WHAT DO YOU WANT PYROPE?  
CG: DON'T TELL ME THAT THEY'VE GOT YOU ALREADY.  
CG: OH FUCKING JESUS.

GC: NO 1M NOT W1TH TH3 OTH3RS  
GC: 1 W4S WOND3R1NG 1F TH3YV3 GOT TO YOU  
GC: BUT 1M GU3SS1NG NOT

CG: I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD FROM THEM SINCE THEY DECIDED TO DO THIS FUCKING THING.

GC: 1 WOND3R 1F TH3YV3 P1CK3D UP 4NYON3 Y3T

CG: WELL, THEY DON'T HAVE ME AND THEY DON'T HAVE YOU SO THAT MEANS TWO DOWN AND TEN MORE DAMN PEOPLE TO ANNOY.

GC: 4R3 YOU 4NNOY3D K4RK4T?  
GC: OF COURS3 YOUR3 4NNOY3D  
GC: B3TT3R QU3ST1ON 1S WHY YOUR3 4NNOY3D 4ND 1T B3TT3R NOT B3 B3C4US3 L1F3 B3C4US3 L1F3 1S 4M4Z1NG

CG: FUCK YOU. LIFE CAN GO AND SUCK MY DICK. IF YOU MUST KNOW IT'S BECAUSE DARK BROWN IS NOTHING LIKE FUCKING DARK CHESTNUT BROWN.

GC: OH TH3 HORROR 1 WOULDNT H4V3 4 CLU3 4BOUT COLOURS  
GC: DO3S 1T 3V3N M4TT3R?

CG: OF COURSE IS FUCKING MATTERS TEREZI.

GC: 1 DONT UND3RST4ND WH4TS WRONG W1TH B31NG D1FF3R3NT

CG: THAT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU AND THINK "SHE'S SUCH A STONG GIRL LIVING WITH SUCH A PROBLEM" AND WHEN THEY FUCKING SEE ME THEY POINT AND STARE, MAKING ME FEEL LIKE A GOD DAMN OUTCAST.

You log off quickly after that and hope they aren't coming around the pick you up anytime soon because like Hell you wanted to get back on after that. You do feel terrible after talking to Terezi after that but sometimes it just really bugs you when people say that there's nothing wrong with you. They haven't had to live with a mutation.

Why don't we leave him to sulk?

**Karkat: Be someone else**

Okay.

**Karkat: Who should we be?**

Does it fucking matter? Just be someone else.

**Karkat: Just be someone else**

Okay, you are just someone else which means you're back in the car. Which person in the car are you now?

**Someone else: Be Dave**

Okay, you can be Dave now because you're now awake. Jade was starting to complain about this sucking a little too loud and you realise 'holy fuck I wouldn't be sleeping anymore, well damn'. But that's okay because apparently you're somewhere close to someone. This'll be fucking epic.

* * *

Oh God. What the fuck is that? What are Pesterlogs and what is writing? I felt like I should be deep but I can't be deep so here's this. You're welcome.

I've hit school holidays and I have no idea what I'm doing with it. Probs nothing, like usual. I'll be lazy and get nothing done, including this. Also, I lied because I'm a liar, this isn't have a 'couple of chapters left', it's more like 'a fuck tonne of chapters to go'. Wow.

Chapter title from The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes".


	12. They Call Me A Little Wound-Up

**Dave: Be fucking ecstatic**

You are feeling pretty fucking ecstatic right now. You're too tired to show it and you're also a Strider and what kind of Strider would let someone see them smile? No Strider, that's how many Striders. Or that's just how you imagine a Strider to be, apparently.

Rose had finally put down her book long enough to hold an actual conversation with the rest of you. "But it's a beautifully written novel," was her excuse.

"Where we now?" you ask.

"Just heading into Mississippi now, dear," Margret replies.

Mississippi. You've drove all the way to mother-fucking Mississippi. No wonder Jade's uncomfortable at this point.

"Who's in Mississippi?" John asks.

"Um, the one who looks like a sideways sixty-nine?" George replies, squinting at the map, whist driving. You swear if you got in a car accident because of him you'd haunt his ass if you die.

"Karkat!" Jade squeals, doing a little bit of a chair dance.

"What kind of name is Karkat?" George scoffs quietly from up the front. And by quietly it was more like a shout-whisper because everyone could hear it.

"Karkat is an awesome name," John defends.

George just scoffs again but doesn't say anything. Jade and John pout childishly and you can't help but feel a little insulted. Karkat's an awesome guy. He could be cool, expect you'll be saying that and no one can be cooler than you.

**Dave: Spam**

You're not the one doing the spamming, the two dorks over there are. They've been sending Karkat non-stop messages for about a minute now. At first it was just to tell him you're close but since he didn't reply they decided to send him messages one after the other. A minute in and already forty messages and you even threw in a couple of death threats.

"Perhaps he's sleeping," Rose says. You all ignore her because she's just trying to ruin all your fun which is not okay. Rose being all smarty and stuff is not okay. She frowns and goes back to her book. Smarty Rose.

"What now?" John asks.

"Tell him we'll sacrifice him to the dark lord," you suggest.

"Oh yeah, do that," Jade says.

"Tell him it's for a virgin sacrifice," you add on.

John makes a face in between disgust and curiosity, "what if he isn't a virgin or something?"

"Why'd you think about that?" Jade says with a wink.

John just makes another face at Jade and begins to type out the message on his phone, sending it to Karkat.

After another three minutes and another twenty messages later Karkat still hasn't replied.

"This is lame," Jade whines, "he needs to reply."

"Say you'll cut him if he doesn't reply," you say.

"I'll say you will," John says.

"What? No way, he wouldn't believe it if it was me," you say, "just say it was Rose."

"Yes, because I would love to 'cut' Karkat because he is replying to your messages," Rose says slightly sarcastically.

John just ends up typing out 'if you don't reply we'll cut you' and by 'we' he means all of us.

**Dave: Why is Karkat not replying?**

How the fuck are you supposed to know? That isn't even an action.

**Dave: Found out why Karkat isn't replying**

Okay, you can do that because it's an action. But you also don't have to do that because we already why Karkat isn't replying.

**Dave: Fucking be Karkat anyway**

Okay, geez. If it's that important we'll be Karkat anyway. You're now Karkat.

**Karkat: Turn your laptop on**

Seriously? Why would you want to do that after blowing up at Terezi like that? You probably hurt her feelings or something and how she doesn't like you anymore. Wow, way to go dumbass.

You've stayed glued to your bed the entire time, watching your phone move around on the bedside table as it vibrates from receiving messages. You really do want to check the messages and reply to them seeing as you've received about fifty or something but you're worried they might be from Terezi. She'd probably be asking if you're okay when you should be asking her if she's okay.

You're not okay, by the way if you haven't noticed.

You continue to stare at the phone as it moves around on the table, each vibration hurting you on the inside, guilt twisting in your gut.

**Karkat: Just check the messages**

Well, it is kind of temping.

You reach over to grab the phone from the tale without moving from your position on the bed. Above the little message symbol is says 59. Terezi has sent you fifty-nine messages. She must be really worried, you suppose.

With what feels like your heart in your throat you press the message symbol and all fifty-nine messages were displayed. You read the last couple of messages and you feel slightly ill – 'I'll cut off your skin and fry it like bacon' and 'I'll slurp out all your blood until you shrivel up and die'. Sheesh, she's angry.

You take a moment to calm yourself before scrolling up through the messages. There are a lot of death threats and one 'I haven't been completely honest in our relationship. I'm actually a man and I hope this doesn't change how you think about me'.

Uh-huh.

That doesn't sound like something Terezi would say, especially if she was angry. You check the sender ID and your shoulders visibly relax as you see the ID as John Egbert. But now you're wondering why John is sending you things like this. This is mother fucking John Egbert we're talking about. Egbert.

You continue to scroll up through the messages until you got to the top and holy shit you should have realise.

'We're in Mississippi, you better be ready :)'.

Fuck.

You quickly shoot off the bed to start throwing random articles of clothing into a backpack. You grab socks that you're not one hundred per cent sure are clean but that doesn't matter because oh God. You stuff your wallet, laptop, phone and any cords you need into a laptop case messily. Within minutes you're ready and freaking out.

"I've heard crashing and banging and we're all worried something might be wrong," a voice came around the corner and towards your bedroom. It was your brother.

"Yes," you grind out. You hope the rude tone would send him away but this is your brother and nothing will send him away.

Your brother stands in the door way, his fingers fiddling with the Jesus bracelet around his wrist. You've seen many people around wearing those bracelets and you doubt half of them aren't even religious. Your brother is and damn do you know that.

"Are you sure something isn't the matter," his eyes trail around the bedroom, taking everything in, "you've packed some bags."

Does he have to be so fucking observant?

When you don't say anything he asks with a worried voice, "you're not running away, are you?"

"What? Why the fuck would I be running away?" you ask.

"Well, perhaps you aren't happy living with us considering what you've been through and how it has affected you. I also understand if you do not wish to live here anymore because of our religious beliefs don't suit yours, or your lack I should say," he continued to talk even after you openly stopped listening.

"Look," you snap, "I'm not running away or any shit like that."

"Then why have you packed your bags?" he asks, "you don't have friends do you?"

You pick up your bags hastily snapping at your brother again, "I might have friends and they might be fucking coming to take me away from this hell hole."

You crankily storm out of your bedroom and out of the house, ignoring your parents' worried calls to come back.

After walking about a block away from your house you take your phone out of your laptop case and type out a message to John saying 'meet me at the park near the supermarket' before simply pocketing the phone and making your way to the park to wait for the others.

People stare at you walk down the streets. They often do that and it makes you paranoid because someone knowing your actual hair colour even if you've just dyed it. You don't like it when people stare. But, you soon realise, that no one expect people you trust with everything – even your life – are going to be the only people staring at you.

* * *

Another chapter Holy fuck. I'm up to, like, chapter twelve and I'm still going. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the biggest thing I ever complete in my life. I know its kinda lame Karkat is the first one to be picked up but it wasn't until after I finished it I decided to make a list of which Troll is going to be picked up and in which order. And I know that I wasn't going to mention any names of places but I deiced on Mississippi because Google called it the most religious state and I though 'hahahaha fuck yeah' because his family is so religious they would live in the most religious state in America.

And yes, they can travel from one side of America to the other in this because they can in Supernatural.

Title from Electric Guest's "This Head I Hold".


	13. I Don't Believe In Bible

Might contain a mild spoiler for those who haven't seen the latest updates.

* * *

**Karkat: Begin to lose patience**

You are starting to lose your patience. Not that you had much to lose but anyway. It's been half an hour since you've send the text and sat yourself down on one of those uncomfortable park benches – which is covered in chewing gum – and they haven't arrived or text back. You're starting to wonder if they're every going to come.

People come and go and you watch them all. Normally you wouldn't people watch because you hate it when people stare so you've never liked to stare at others but you're getting even more bored as they minutes pass and you've run out of things to do.

You check your phone for the time again and it's almost an hour now. God fucking damn it.

**Karkat: Brood**

Yeah, okay, no. You're not one to brood or anything like that. Besides, why the fuck should you?

**Karkat: Oh come on and brood. You know you want to**

Oh fine, you'll fucking brood if it makes you feel better. It might pass the time anyway.

You start thinking about how you left your brother alone in your room and your parents confused and upset in the lounge room. You guess how you snapped at your brother was a little over the top and unnecessary but it has been done. For a moment you debated going back home but after leaving that way you can't.

You know your mother and father have been through some trouble lately with you and this is how you pay them back. You haven't been the boy they brought up and they haven't cared. They opened their arms to you and continued to live as if nothing has happened. They were so kind to you.

Then there was your brother. He was so kind to you. He didn't preach at you and tell you that you need Jesus like a few others from the church. He accepted your new views on life and didn't question them. He understood that something terrible happened to you and gave you space when you wanted it.

They were awesome people and you threw it in their fucking faces. Nice work me, you think. Fuck you past me.

**Karkat: Die**

As much fun as that sounds like right now you're not that big of an asshole to die on public property. You're better than that you hope.

Before you can sink further into what you have dubbed the Park Bench of Despair you hear your name being called. You look up to see this dorky looking kid running towards you. Behind him there's another dorky looking kid and she's trying to catch up.

"Karkat!" he calls.

"Holy fuck," you say, taken back, "John?"

John comes to a stop in front of you, hands on his knees panting. Wow, he's so unfit looking right now. It's kind of pathetic. He holds up his index finger in a 'one minute' gesture while he catches his breathe.

Jade comes to a stop beside him and she's barely panting. With Jade beside John he looks so much worse.

"Hi Karkat," she says all chirpy.

Oh God, you forgot how happy she usually is. With the last thing you can properly remember about her is, you know, her being all evil and shit. Seeing her all smiley and happy makes you want to be all smiley and happy but after the thing with your family you just can't.

"Hey Harley," is all you can get out and to your own ears that sounded pretty God damn confident.

John gets his breath back and is finally able to straighten back up. He too is all smiles unsurprisingly.

"Hi Karkat," he says like he used to when he would pester you.

It brings back memories of the first time John pestered you from your point. He thought you were buddies. You weren't though and he didn't even return your caliginous feelings. That fucking asshole.

Thinking about it, it was actually a stupid hate-crush or whatever anyway.

"Hey John," you reply.

Jade turns around and starts yelling and waving her arms around like some sort of retard or someone having a stroke or something. It was kind of embarrassing to be around. And, to make matters worse, John fucking joins in.

This time you do sink further into the Park Bench of Despair in hopes no one would notice you.

Coming up from around the corner of the park – please don't tell me they were looking on another fucking street for a park that isn't even there you think – was who you assume to be Rose and Dave with two old people you guess are Jade's carers.

Even though they've already seen us, John and Jade continue to point and yell "we've found him" and "Karkat". You tried to get their attention to try and make them stop but they're ignoring you and continuing to make a scene.

It wasn't until they reached you did they stop.

"Good afternoon Karkat," Rose says.

"Hey Rose," you reply.

You didn't talk to her that often really. Even when you were both on the meteor you didn't have many conversations; she was usually with Kanaya or off getting drunk somewhere.

Dave just stands on front of you with his hands on his pockets rocking back and forth. Even with his stupid fucking shades you can tell he's staring at you and you stare back.

The others look between you as if something big was going to happen. All Dave says is, "those human dicks, eh?"

Oh God. He didn't just say that. Who does he think he is?

"Fuck you Strider," you snap back.

"Sometime later maybe, sweet cheeks," he says with a smirk and you wouldn't be surprised if he was fucking winking behind those shades.

George and Margret look shocked with some of the things you are saying. You've never understood why old people got appalled by rude language; it wasn't as if they haven't sworn before. The others just look between themselves not really sure where to go with this.

George clears his throat before saying, "why don't we get going? I would like to cover more ground before finding somewhere to sleep for the night."

"I don't want to sit in a car anymore," Jade groans.

Everyone just seems to ignore her complaining.

"Would you like some help with those?" Margaret asks you.

At first you didn't know what she was talking about but then you remembered your bags you had with you.

"I got them," you reply. You sling the backpack over your shoulders and hang your laptop bag over your shoulder. You hope they didn't park too far away because these bags are kind of fucking heavy.

And by kind of you mean really.

**Karkat: Get comfortable **

Honestly there isn't much room to get comfortable. Now you know why Jade was complaining about getting into the car. It must have been torture sitting on here the whole time.

There was heaps of fighting about who was going to sit beside you in the car. In the end you were shoved in between John and Jade in the second row of seats with Rose and Dave in the very back.

Speaking of Dave, too, the dickhead kept on kicking the back of your seat until Rose told him to stop. He replied with 'yes mum'.

This is going to be so much fun you can just tell.

* * *

Oh wow, hello. I got this chapter out earlier than I thought I would granted I did rush it a little since I'm so used to the weekend deadline. Oops. But here is chapter thirteen. This shit is slowly coming together and I've been meaning to thank so many people for kind words and some honest criticism. If it wasn't for the fans of his fanfic it wouldn't have even made it this far. I love all of you .

Chapter title from Jack's Mannequin's "God".


	14. I See So Many Feet Going So Many Ways

**Karkat: Act upon murderous thoughts**

As fun as that sounds you don't want to end up in juvie. Knowing your luck you'd run into Vriska while there. Instead you just sit there, wondering what it would be like if you did kill everyone in this car.

You'd probably be happy.

You understand Jade completely when she whined about getting back in the car. The cramped spaces and annoying people is something you don't think you'll be getting used to. Ever.

You're not the only one who isn't doing okay. No one is at the moment. Jade is complaining more, John is getting cranky because he's so tired, Rose is becoming a lot more sarcastic and Dave as resorted to kicking the back of your chair again. Rose isn't stopping him this time. Fuck that guy.

**Karkat: Stop Dave**

You're tried but he won't stop. You've yelled at him and everything. You even turned around and slapped him in the leg a couple of times.

**Karkat: Do something else to stop Dave**

Alright wise guy, what do you have in mind?

**Karkat: Be Dave**

Okay, you'll be Dave. Being Dave would be fucking amazing right now.

**Dave: Stop kicking Karkat's chair**

Are you being serious? Why would you want to stop doing that? He's so funny when he gets angry. Well, angrier than usual. It's such a shocker because you didn't realise he could become angrier than he usually is.

You'll stop anyway.

**Dave: Do something else**

Um, okay? Like what?

**Dave: People watch**

Oh yeah, people watching. People watching is just one of the best things to do ever. Sometimes you think you should be a professional. That'll be a great job. You could do that for the rest of your life.

'Dave Strider, professional people watcher' your business card would say. You'd be rich.

You look out the corner of your eye, just to be sure, if Rose is awake. She is.

"You'd never guess what I'm going to do," you say, "It'll be the most amazeballs – yes I said 'amazeballs', calm your shit Lalonde – job you could ever do. You'd never get bored of doing it."

"I wouldn't have a clue," she says all grouchy. This day hasn't been good for her. It hasn't been good for anyone.

"A people watcher," you say with a small smile. Only a tiny one though. It shouldn't even count as a smile really.

"A people watcher?" she asks with a raised eyebrow.

"A people watcher," you confirm with a nod.

You half expect for her to jump into a big thing and start picking apart your brain, trying to peel off the layers of your brain as to why you'd want to watch people for a living. Instead, she just gives you a weird look and turns away to stare out the window.

Okay, wow, okay. That was weird.

**Dave: Just look at the people**

Bossy, bossy, bossy. But you should get on with it, considering you'd be doing this for a living later on.

You look out the window; it was nearing the end of the day, kids making their way home from after-school activities and afternoon visits to friend's houses and adults were heading home from work. The sidewalks were littered with all different types of people.

That's what you love most about people watching. You're able to see so many different types of people. Before your coma you'd just see people as how they appear but now when you see someone you would assume all these different things about them – their life, their jobs, their relationships, their thoughts and how they view the world. At first you didn't mean to, you just did it without realising it, but you soon rolled with it. It just fascinates you about how much you could guess from just looking at someone. You never judge a book by its cover though.

You see a single mother struggling with her two young children. Her baby is crying and her son – who looks about four – wants her attention. She's starting to get angry, you can tell. Her and her husband broke up not long after she gave birth to the baby. Sometimes she regrets the divorce and other times she regrets the kids. She's reaching breaking point and needs a break. She doesn't have many friends anymore because she doesn't have time for them.

You see another person, a teenage boy. He looks like one of those boys you would never want your daughter to date or your son to be. He and his friends are laughing at the single mother. At first you would think he was an asshole but when you get to know him he is just hurting. He's hurting and needs to take it out on someone else; whether it is that poor woman or that sacred kid he would tease. It isn't his fault. His mother is absent and his father beats him. The boy just needs a break.

That's just what you think, anyway. Sometimes you do over think it. You would like to know what they're like. For all you know they could be exact opposites or it could be like they were cut from the same cloth.

But these people go as quickly as they come. They never stay in your mind or life for too long.

Sometimes you also wonder what people would think of you if they just passed you on the street. How do you think they would imagine you? Would they think you're an egomaniac douchebag? Or would they think you're a broken boy looking for something else. Would they see confidence or would they see a coolkid _façade_ to try and keep people out?

Sometimes you just wonder and realise you'll never get those answers.

**Dave: Be pulled from your deep thoughts**

Huh?

You rocket back to Earth to find Rose waving a hand in front of your face, "erh?" you ask. It comes out more slurred as if you've just woken up.

"We're here," Rose says.

"Where's here?" you question, from behind your shades your eyes are barely focusing on Rose or anything else. Did you really fall asleep while thinking about all that?

"We're at our resting spot," she explains.

"Resting spot…" you murmur. It wasn't really a proper question.

You prop yourself up from where you must've sled down in your seat while you were sleeping – how did you not notice that? – and saw that you're surrounded by other cars, tents and caravans.

Oh. You've must have stopped for the night. It was getting pretty dark out right now. The sun has lowers and the stars and moon have started to rise. You guys must have covered a far bit of ground then.

You crawl to the other side and jump out that way just because the door is already open. You're guessing you look like a total mess right now. If anyone says though you're not a mess, you're a hot mess. You'll have to emphasise the 'hot' part.

When you got out of the car and straightened yourself up you noticed that George and Margret were putting up a tent. You look confused over in their direction.

Margret must have noticed your look and says, "you kids are going to have the caravan to sleep in, me and George are just going to sleep here tonight."

Instead of saying anything you just nod and walk towards the caravan. Everyone was lugging their stuff into it. You were about to get your things too before John stopped you by saying your bags were already brought it while you were sleeping.

Damn were you out for a while.

You only groggily nod again and climb into the caravan with everyone else.

The inside of the caravan look pretty fucking great. It was a blue and white themed interior. It had the basics like a little kitchen, pathetic looking bathroom – if you could even call it that – and a padded bench thing shaped in a 'u' with a table in front of it, you guess you eat there. On either side were beds. On the left side was this nice double sized bed with soft as cloud looking pillows and a big doona. On the right side were these uncomfortable single beds that look like stretchers, one above the other.

Before you had even came in everyone else decided that the two girls were going to share the double bed and you, John and Karkat were going to sleep on the suspended stretchers. The things you do to be polite to girls. Sometimes it's un-fucking-believable. You're just hoping they're more comfortable than they look but you're guessing they aren't.

Isn't this going to be a shit-tastic night or what?

* * *

Woo, I got this chapter out on Thursday. Thursday! That's like a whole day before they're usually out. Granted this chapter look about a week to write. School holidays gave me an excuse to do jack shit. I don't have that excuse anymore now that school's back. I'll try and get back into the Friday, Saturday and Sunday updates but I'm honestly not promising anything right now.

Chapter title from Jack Johnson's "People Watching".


	15. A True Enthusiast

**Dave: Imagine**

You honestly don't need to imagine because you already know. You already know what it is like being ninety with a bad back and shit. You know because you've been there and lived through it.

What you previously thought about your stretcher bed was confirmed when you woke up this morning. You got the worse back and neck pain due to the shitty sleeping apparatus. Last night as soon as you climbed to the very top bed and lied down in it you didn't care how shitty it was. It was a bed and bed is what you sleep in and therefore you slept in it without much complaint. Though the last thing you remember hearing before you dozed off was Karkat complaining about the shitty bed.

But this fucking morning is bullshit. Jade and Rose are all happy and well rested and pain free whereas you, John and Karkat are all crabby and hurt and still sleepy. You don't know how much longer you can take of this. What'll happen when everyone else joins your little gypsy travels.

After waking up and getting ready for today's driving at fucking six in the morning you have set off to where ever the fuck you are going today. You were thinking that maybe you could totally sleep in the car for the entire day but you soon realise that you couldn't do such a thing. The way you back and neck bent stopped you from doing anything expect sitting there stiffly. John and Karkat seem to be having the same problems too.

"The bed was so fluffy and the pillows! The pillows made it feel like you were sleeping on a cloud or something!" Jade exclaims happily and full of energy.

"The bed was rather comfortable. Much more so than my one back home," Rose agrees.

"My fucking poor excuse for a bed was like sleeping on a bed of torture and pain," Karkat mumbled underneath his breath. He was slummed back in his seat with his arms folded across his chest. His been like that for quite a while and with the way his back and neck are bend you're surprised he isn't complaining about having an even sorer body.

You don't say anything. You haven't said on word the entire time. No one is exactly shocked or anything by the matter. They have said that they've been waiting for you to say something ironic or sarcastic or something like that. You only shrug back. You don't feel like it and it is much of a surprise why. By now something must be weighting everyone here down.

**Dave: Yawn**

You are and have been for the last twenty minutes. It's like a symphony of yawns all up in here. You're yawning and everyone is yawning. At first this was okay but now it's getting ridiculous.

You shove your earphone into your eyes and turn on some music in hopes to tune everything out. You'd like some time to yourself but in this place you aren't going to be getting it anytime soon.

Even with your earphones in you're still yawning continuously. For fuck's sake. You move around stiffly in your seat as you try and find a more comfortable position to sleep in. you don't find one but you settle for one anyway. You'll regret this in the morning but right now you don't really care.

**Dave: Be someone else while you sleep**

Who should you be?

**Dave: Be someone. It doesn't matter who. Pick a person, any person**

You've picked a person, any person and that person you have picked is the classy young lady next to you.

**Dave: Now actually be the classy young lady next to you**

You are now the classy young lady and you couldn't think of a better way to say it yourself. You are currently reading one of the many novels you have brought with you on this little trip. In fact, out of the two suitcases you brought, half of one of them is dedicated to novels. You were worried you wouldn't bring enough so you went overboard.

This one is rather thrilling at the moment; you are up to the best part. After being in a coma for four years you have plenty of things to catch up on and you're so excited about it. The one you are reading now is one of those trashy romance novels middle age woman would read - with a cheesy plot and obvious ending – but you're enjoying it nonetheless. Then again, after four years in a coma, anything would probably be an enjoyable read.

You read quickly but still memorise every word and create a visual in your mind for the scene. You're quite proud of how fast you can read things compared to the others in the car. Besides Margret, though, she's the fastest reader you have ever seen. The whole time you've been in this car you haven't seen her nose away from a book.

**Rose: Do something perhaps a little more interesting**

What could be interesting than a well-written book? Nothing, nothing can be better than I well-written book.

**Rose: Be someone else in that case**

If that's how it's going to be then fine, you will be someone else.

**Rose: Be someone else**

You are now someone else. Your name is John Egbert and damn are you doing something else more interesting right now. What could be more interesting than discussing movies with Karkat?

Apparently this choice in movies isn't as good as yours. Not that that isn't much of a surprised when you think about it. Nic Cage beats Will Smith any day you think expect Karkat thinks differently.

"Nic Cage has been around longer," you argue, pointing your index finger menacingly at Karkat.

"That means shit," Karkat shoots back, "that just means that Nic Cage is a fucking old ass."

"No, that means he has more experience and therefore is a better actor," you rebound.

"Well, Will Smith has won eleven awards, which is more than what fucking Nic Cage has won," Karkat defends.

"Oh yeah he is just so much better," you say mockingly before saying in a sterner voice, "by one award."

"One more than your shitty actor has," Karkat snaps.

"He is not shitty," you snap back.

Over Karkat's shoulder you can see Jade smiling at the both of you with an amused expression on her face. "What's so funny?" you ask her with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh nothing," she giggles, "it's just funny now defensive you get over actors and how you can remember all this stuff about them. I think it would even be sad." She giggles again.

"Sad?" Karkat questions, "how this this sad? This, my uneducated shit-stain of a friend, is a fucking art. We're movie enthuses and damn it is this is sad."

Jade looks startled for a second due to how defensive Karkat become before bursting into a fit of giggles. She was even grabbing her sides and whipping her eyes after she calmed down.

"Oh my God," she manages to get out with her lack of breathe still, "you got, like so defensive. You sound like someone just said a really, really bad 'your mum' joke and it actually offended you or something!"

Karkat gives her the finger before slouches back down into his seat with a face that clearly said 'fuck you and fuck off'.

"Aww, is Karkat offended," you tease.

He was mutters something underneath his breath that you can't quite catch but you're assuming there are quite a few curse words somewhere.

**John: Give up**

That sounds like an okay idea. After about seven minutes of trying to get something – anything! – out of Karkat you think it is just time to give up and realise that he is really into his cinema; even more so than you.

You just settle down and shrug to Jade saying, "nothing". You both just decided to leave him be and wish you've had more space to give him. There's nothing worse than fighting with someone in a car.

* * *

I'm sorry this is so rushed. I wasn't planning on getting it out today because I'm in a huge slump right now and stuff. Still a little shook up after something that happened in counselling a couple of days ago. But I still kinda wanted to get this out because getting this chapter off my shoulder lifts some weight. Hope this is okay.

Chapter title from Broadway Karkat's "Be A Fanboy".


	16. Hungry Like The Wolf

**John: Sulk**

You're not sulking. You're not sulking at all. Sulking is being sad and you're not sad. You're just bored and tired and stuff. Everyone is doing something you don't really want to interrupt – Rose is reading, Dave is sleeping, Karkat is still sulking (because he's sulking, not you) and Jade is talking about something that happened in Drama one time to Margret. This leaves you doing nothing at all, which is so lame.

You pull out your phone from your pocket with the intent of playing one of your games when you notice your Pesterchum app is telling you have a message. Huh, you think, that's weird. Who would be pestering you?

You open up the app and check the message.

**John: Fall out of your seat**

You would but you can't really, seeing you have a seat belt on and all. If you didn't have a seat belt on you'd be falling out of this seat as if it were lava.

These messages… they're from Vriska. Vriska? Why Vriska? How Vriska? Wasn't she in juvie or something? So many questions are circling around in your head. She hasn't tried to contact you before so why would she now?

- arachnidsGrip [AG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 5:18 -

AG: Joooooooohn.  
AG: Hey John.  
AG: John, why aren't you talking to me?  
AG: You wouldn't 8e ignoring me would you?  
AG: Oh my God.

- arachnidsGrip [AG] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 5:21 -

Oh wow. No wonder you didn't get the message. You guys may have been up early but that early is insane, no one should even be alive at five in the morning. You quick begin to message her back in hopes she might reply.

- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering arachnidsGrip [AG] at 8:34 -

EB: hi vriska.  
EB: i am sorry i did not reply sooner. i didn't know you sent me anything.  
EB: seeing as the message was sent at five am and anything.  
EB: reply back soon :).

- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering arachnidsGrip [AG] at 8:37 -

You hold your phone in your hand for a few moments with the chat client open just to be sure before you think she won't be replying any time soon and place the phone back in your pocket.

"Who was that?" Jade asks, trying to peer around Karkat to see you.

You hesitate for a moment. You wondered if saying anything would be the right thing to do. As far as they know Vriska is still in juvie. If she still is you don't understand why she would be pestering you and by the looks of it the messages did seem kind of frantic. As if she was rushing… or in trouble. You snort inside; of course she would be in trouble. Apparently she hasn't been in anything but.

"Oh no one," you lie through a huge grin, "just my dad."

Jade just smiles and says how cute that was before going back to talking to whoever cares enough to listen to her.

While you do feel kind of bad for lying and everything for some reason it does feel like the right thing to do. And, after everything, you have always learnt to trust your gut instinct.

**John: Feel the wind in your hair**

It's the second thing you feel when you jump out of the car. The first thing you feel is the painful cracking of your joints when you stretch. From the groans of everyone else, they feel the exact same way.

You take a huge gulp of air, enjoying the feeling of the fresh air entering your lungs. Fresh air and luscious green grass is a couple of things you've always never thought of as special or anything like that. You haven't always liked the great outdoors. Sometimes it is sad that an apocalyptic game causes you to realise some things like this that parents have told you your whole life.

"You know what would be nice?" Margret asks with a smile. After people shook their heads no she answered her own question, "a picnic."

George raised his eyebrow, "a picnic?"

"Yes George, a picnic. It'll be nice to be able to get out and get some fresh air for once," she says in a sort of scolding manner.

"Yeah, right, okay," George just mumbles underneath his breath but it isn't quite, "I'd just go get something to eat then."

"Oh, oh," Margret says last minutes when George gets back into the car, "we passed a nice looking deli on the way in."

"Of course, dear," George says before driving away.

While you waited for George to come back with food the rest of you set up the blanket and a beach umbrella. You were a little concerned when Karkat stabbed it into the ground with an unnecessary amount of force. You weren't even one hundred per cent sure you were allowed to make holes in the ground here.

The five of you sat on the picnic blanket and talks about trivial and kind of lame stuff; before Jade decides to ask, "where are we, anyway?"

"We're not too far out of where we're picking up someone else," Margret says, "We'd be able to get there by tomorrow, I'm sure."

Jade nods in reply before asking, "who's next?"

"Um… I'm not too sure, dear. It's written on the map which is in the car," Margret says.

**John: Die from being so hungry**

Oh God you're heading down that path. You're reaching the fork in the road. You got the direction to go forth onto the trail of being so famished you could die or you could go down the opposite path and survive for now.

Not too long before you thought you would actually die from starvation George came back with two plastic takeaway bags in each hand.

"Did you go to that deli?" Margret asks.

"Yes dear I did," he replies.

"Brilliant. Come and sit," she says in an urging voice as if he'd not sit down with the group of you.

George unpacked the bags, pulling out drinks and sandwiches. If you were at home one of the last things you'd consider eating is a sandwich. But, you know, sandwiches are pretty great right now. Since you've hit the road a good portion of what you've ate has been from fast food restaurants.

You quickly snatch up a coke and chicken, lettuce and mayo sandwich. You make quick work of the plastic casing around the sandwich before eating it as if you haven't ate in months. From the corner of your eye you can see Karkat looking at you funny and you ask him "what? I'm hungry," around a mouth full you sandwich.

"So I am but I don't eat like a funny pig. At least chew the shit before talking," Karkat says back.

You're pretty sure he's out of his little sulk. You guess he let out his anger and everything out when he stabbed the umbrella into the ground like a murder.

You knock Karkat's little comment to the side before taking another huge bite from the sandwich. It is pretty good actually; much fresher than the half-assed burgers from McDonalds.

You make quick work of your food and you're finished before everyone else.

While everyone is eating in somewhat silence you're mind starts to wander about what Jade was asking earlier. You know from looking around you weren't anyways really special but apparently close to your next stop. You also begin to think about who you'd be picking up next and where you'd put them since you're out of room.

"Hey, where's the map?" you ask whoever will listen.

"It should be in the glove box," George replies.

You nod and lift yourself up with a grunt - you're getting old - and walk towards the car. Thankfully when you get there it was already unlocked. You hope you don't get broken into. You open the glove box and take a peek at the map.

You haven't always prided yourself on your map reading skills - which is insanely lacking - but when you see the map you get a basic idea of where you've been and where you're heading.

Tracing your finger along a line the next symbol. The symbol for Gemini. You throw the map back into the glove compartment before running back to everyone else to tell them the news.

"What's wrong?" Rose asks when you get back.

You stand there panting for a moment before you could answer, "Next person… Sollux," was all you could get out with your laboured breath.

"Fucking Sollux?" Karkat questions rather loudly, grabbing the attention of everyone else.

This'll be fun.

* * *

Sorry if this is rushed towards the end. I wasn't planning on getting this out this soon but then I kinda thought I wouldn't have much time at any other point until next weekend and I don't really want to be tardy with these.

Title from Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf". It wasn't the best title but I couldn't think of anything else.


	17. The Same Life, The Same Love

**John: Continuously and internally freak out**

You're still slightly concerned about Vriska's well-being. She still hasn't messaged you back. You sent her that message, like, two hours or something ago. Like, just a long time ago. If this is the guilt you're feeling while you're thinking she's alive, you don't want to know what you're feeling if you find out she died or something and you didn't reply back quick enough sooner to save her or something. This is bullshit.

On the brighter side of things, Karkat's feeling pretty good considering he's Karkat. He's done sulking and is even speaking with a socially acceptable amount of curse words. You're guessing he is secretly happy about seeing Sollux again. You were so excited about seeing your human friends you can only imagine how excited you would be if you were him, seeing your Troll friend as a human. You'd be shitting yourself with excitement.

**John: Imagine how excited you would be if you were him**

Oh boy, it'll be so great. Or g8. Or even EXCITING. Troll quirks are just the weirdest. You'd suck at being all Troll-y with your Troll-y names and your Troll-y quirks. Like, who would WaNt tO TaLk lIkE ThIs aNyWaY? You prefer how you and your human friends talk. Normal and everything with no weird ass, random uppy-downy letters.

Okay, so that wasn't what was meant. It isn't all about their screwed up quirks but they are stupid and ugh. Just everything about Trolls is just urgh. It was fascinating at some points during the time you spent sleeping and stuff. But living through everything would just not be okay. And you mean all that with no offence to Trolls.

**John: Be a Troll that you don't mean to offend**

I'm sorry, it is impossible to be the Troll that you don't mean to offend because there is no such thing as Trolls you uneducated fuck. However, we could hook you up with someone else.

**John: Be hooked up with someone else**

Congratulations, you are now someone else. Someone under old circumstances would get offended by what John was saying. That's right you're now Karkat. You now have no need to be offended about your weird typing quirks or your shit-as-fuck planet with its shit-as-fuck people. No, now you have to worry about the real world with their shit-as-fuck people. Somethings just never change.

**Karkat: What doesn't change?**

That's a question, not a command you retard. But because you're feeling pretty good right now you'll still answer it.

Things that haven't changed are the following: people, things and everything in between. At first Alternia did seem like a piece of shit kind of planet. But now that you're back on Earth and awake and everything, things don't seem so different. Sure, the whole skin and horn thing and four different types of romance aside, everything is kind of the same, right?

Like, with the romance and quadrants, you have Matespritship, Moirallegiance, Auspisticism and Kismesissitude. Those relationships can be brought into the real world – lovers, best friends, that one friend who helps two fighting friends and that one person you hate but lust over or something. You're not completely sure about Kismesissitude actually. But regardless of that, it's a pretty normal concept.

Same with Lusus and parents; grubs and babies; hives and homes. Trolls and humans aren't that different in the end. And adjusting to the human way of life again wasn't all too hard. The names of stuff beside – you don't think you'd ever live down that moment when you called your father fucking Crabdad.

**Karkat: Move onto a different topic**

Okay, whatever. New topic: Sollux coming on-board. Okay, there it is. You doubt it would be any more interesting than the other one. Ha, neither of them are good topics. Things like how much better you are than Dave Strider are real topics. Everything other topic can go fuck themselves for all you care. Fuck themselves up their own asses with a chainsaw.

But Sollux being here isn't going to be that bad. The problem will be fitting everyone in this fucking car without having to tie something to the roof or doing something equally as illegal. You all couldn't be arrested and thrown in gaol right now. They'd as why someone was on the roof and your answers wouldn't be acceptable. They'd think you're on drugs or something.

Sollux was one of your bed friends before and sometimes you wonder if that friendship would reach into the real world. Everyone else's did. You quickly remember those times where you could hate-flirt and stuff. Those were some awkward moments for you. Fuck him and fuck past-Troll you.

"Hey Karkat," someone – thankfully – brought you from your thoughts. Thoughts you're going to pretend never happened. You'd delete them from your brain like you deleted those messages from your logs. The person who was talking to you was Jade. What the fuck did she want?

"What?" you question her.

"How cool do you think it'll be having someone else in here?" she asks.

"Cramped," you reply to her, only half meaning it.

She giggled a bit before saying, "no silly. What would it be like having Sollux here? Like, not talking about the problem involving the lack of space in this car."

"I don't fucking know, awkward. We were friends but he was an asshole and I was an asshole and we were assholes to each other and I don't think that'll change…" you begin to trail off towards the end. You're not too sure what you actually want to say to her. You think for a moment before continuing, "Nothing like that's going to change. But if he still has that fucking lisp I'm going to cut off his tongue and make him chock on it or something because that fucking lisp was one of the worst things about him and fucking Hell that dickhead that a lot of fucking problems." You soon slip into what you would consider 'normal' when talking to or about him. He was fucked up and damn straight you kill him if he has that stupid lisp.

Jade giggles again, much more this time. This time it is more of a proper laugh and not one of those girly giggles. "I never met him," she partly mused, the next part she says directly to you, "he can't be that bad."

You let out a sarcastic 'ha' before replying with, "that lispy douche is one, if not the most, fucked up people you could meet. And considering the people I was friends with, that's something. He had a lisp, he was bi-polar, he heard the fucking voice of the impeding deceased or some shit like that. If it wasn't for the fact he was a good hacker, he wouldn't have many other talents."

Jade frowned slightly and lightly hit you in the arm before scolding, "don't say such mean things!"

"It's true," you mutter, mainly to yourself.

Jade just shakes her head a little before asking one of her adults, "where are we?"

"We shouldn't be too far away. I suggest that you contact your friend," Margret says.

We sat in silence for a moment, no one reaching for their phones to pester Sollux. You quickly realise that they must be expecting you to do it for something, considering how close you were. Granted, the closeness shouldn't have anything to do with it. God damn it.

You reach into your pocket and pull out your phone. You open the Pesterchum app and check if Sollux is actually on. You understand how annoying it was when you got the messages late because you weren't checking your messages. That reminds you about the incident with Terezi. You quickly push that out of your head when you see that Sollux is on. You assume that he's either already talking to either Aradia or Feferi because they're both on, too.

- carcinoGeneticist [CG] began pestering twinArmageddons [TA] at 11:19 -

CG: HEY, ASSWIPE. GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER WE'RE COMING TO PICK YOU UP.

You get an almost immediate reply.

TA: oh hey kk  
TA: ii2 that how you normally tell your date you're almo2t there? wow, what a 2hiitty boyfriiend you would be.

CG: SHUT UP. JUST GRAB WHATEVER YOU THINK YOU MIGHT NEED. A LIFE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

TA: har2h, ii'll be ready by the tiime you get here, ca2anova.

You could pretty much see and hear that mocking smirk in his words. That mad you angry. Then again, you're like the Hulk, your secret is that you're always angry. However the Hulk does hide it better than you do.

CG: WHATEVER, SHIT STAIN. JUST REMEMBER THAT WE WON'T BE WAITING FOR YOU IF YOU TAKE YOUR PRECIOUS TIME.

- carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased pestering twinArmageddons [TA] at 11:21 -

You quickly exit the app and re-pocket your phone. "I told him," you say.

"And you really are Casanova," Dave says in a mocking tone.

"Fuck off Strider and mind your own business," you snap back.

"But you're just so fly," he continues, "you're like a modern day Romeo. I don't think my body is ready for all this awesome courting you'd be showering me with any minute." After a couple of seconds Dave speaks up again, "Come on; is my prince in shining armour getting cold feet? Is he too chicken to show how much he loves me, yet he was able to slay a dragon for me. I'm flattered and all but some words about how great and beautiful would be nice…"

You cut him off before he could say anymore by saying, "if I have to hear another piece of shit from your mouth I will make sure that the only thing that will come from your mouth is literal shit."

Dave doesn't say anything after that. And he better not either because you are not a man of idle threats.

**Karkat: Be some else**

Who?

**Karkat: Be Sollux**

You don't know if you should introduce this new character yet or leave it to another time.

You sit and pretend to consider it for a moment. You don't need to think about it. You already know the answer.

You are now Sollux Captor and man is your friend a total jackass. Not that you mind much because you're just as much as a jackass back to him. You have a feel the upcoming months are going to some of the best ones you're ever going to have.

After telling both Feferi and Aradia the group was just about to get here, you say goodbye and log off. You're not planning on bringing much with you; clothes, money, toiletries and electricals so packing shouldn't be too hard.

With your things together you're lugging them into the living room where your parents are sitting, watching TV. They turn to face you and see your luggage and by the looks on their faces they know exactly what this means. Seriously, they have smiles that go all the way up to their ears and you couldn't help but smile back.

"Be sure to pack your medication," your father reminds you.

"I got them," you reply, sitting on one of the arm chairs.

"Remember to call us if you need to," your dad tells you.

"I know," you reply to him.

Your dads were so protective of you for what you think it no idea. But you guess if something like that had happened to your son you would freak out and be overprotective sometimes, too. But they're cool and you love them anyway.

You're even thinking you might miss them a bit while you're gone. But you're thinking for the most part you wouldn't even be thinking about home.

* * *

Hey guys, turns out my little hiatus wasn't anything too big considering what it was about. I just more wanted to get the Science assignment out of the road and I handed it in today, fingers crossed I get good marks. I was going to keep the hiatus going for a couple more days but with me days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and months turn into years. So yeah. Besides I wanted to start writing this again so last night I wrote this entire chapter which took me about three hours (from six to nine). But I decided to wait until today to post it because I was too tired to bother.

But yeah. I'm back and I want to thank everyone for everything. For their understanding and kind words and everything like that. If I could I would give big hugs and kisses to everyone. I hated this little break just as much as everyone did.

One last thing which I've been forgetting to mention and this is for those who don't check my profile: I'm writing a JohnDave story which is going to be finished sometime next year, secret reasons for why next year are involved.

Title from Tokio Hotel's "Hey You".

P.S. I love Brainbent Sollux so don't be surprised if Brainbent Sollux happens in this. I won't have an regrets.


	18. That's Not My Name

**Sollux: Wait**

You are and you've been doing so for the last twenty minutes. You're starting to think either a) you got ready too early or b) they're taking their sweet him. You don't see why they would want to take their time because there isn't exactly much to see. No amazing sights or tourist attractions, just a pathetic place filled with some pathetic people. You also had ruled out the thought of them being lost because they have a map of this place.

It wasn't too long before you starting to get tired and bored. It wasn't like that was a huge deal; you are often tired and bored, mainly tired though. You haven't slept for forever, not since you've woken up. It sucked balls not being able to sleep at first but now that's just life and you've learnt to deal with it.

You were pretty excited when you heard about this thing, granted you don't do 'excited' very well. But now that you're here, waiting, this whole thing seems like a massive waste of time. Seriously, you would rather be back at school, helping the ICT staff with computers. That's all you ever do at school now, help Helmut - a tall German man who can't fit through a doorway due to his height - fix the computers if immature kids who can't look after them. It's fun, you're good at it and it keeps you away from more or less the next of the student body and the staff can fix stuff quicker. In the end everyone is happy.

You groan and slump in your seat, wishing they would hurry up.

"They'll get here soon," your dad reassures.

You just grunt again in response and slide down even lower in your seat. Soon isn't soon enough apparently.

**Sollux: Find out what's taking them so long**

Fine, as long as you don't have to talk to anyone.

**Sollux: Be Dave**

Oh yeah, back to who is meant to be the main character of this adventure. It's been awhile. It doesn't even feel like you're the main person in this shitty-ass excuse for an adventure. This isn't even an adventure but more like when a seventy-something retired couple decided to do some sort of cross-country RV trip or something. Oh wait, that's more or less that this is. You can be such a silly goose sometime. That's your middle name, Dave Silly Goose Strider.

**Dave Silly Goose Strider: Do something**

You'll do something. You'd drop the retarded as fuck middle name. 'Silly Goose' isn't your middle name. It isn't even a middle name at all. But right now there isn't much to do. The people are scarce and the clouds are boring. Everyone else seems to feel the way you do. Well, except for Jade and John, their noses are pressed the glass and you swear to fuck that the glass is going to melt with how hard they're looking. You don't understand what's so interesting but as the saying goes 'small things amuse small minds'.

Regardless you still continue to look out the window, too. But you don't find the vets or the supermarkets something to shit yourself about. Every place has them, they're nothing new.

Rose has taken it upon herself to tell us the history of this town and it sounds as if she's reciting some high school textbook. She doesn't miss a beat or forget what she's saying, no matter how sidetracked. The brain of that girl shouldn't be illegal or something. Scientists should lock her up in cage and run tests on that shit.

Karkat however, decides now is the time to take a little nap. A by little you mean he's out completely a snoring like an adult man. You don't know how you didn't hear that before. If this were a cartoon the roof of the car would be blowing off with every outward breath.

"We should be there in another few minutes," George says.

Thank fuck. The sooner we pick up Captor the sooner we can get out of Snoresville. No offence to the guy but how could someone live here and not go insane from boredom? You honestly wouldn't be surprised if the reason he went into a coma was because of the lack of everything happening.

**Dave: Cry**

Almost, so close man. So close in fact you can feel the tears forming in your eyes. That is, if Strider could cry. But Striders don't cry. So you now stand here, distraught out of your mind. All because of a house… it isn't even a house. It's more like a fucking cottage. The kind of thing a grandmother would live in. One of those kinds looking grandmothers who would feed you pie and eat you once you're fat. Yes, that's it.

You walk up the door with everyone and you cringe inwardly when the old-as-fuck wire and mesh door squeaked open. This is bullshit. The wooden door beneath isn't any better with the paint chipping off. Vantas bangs on the door with such force you thought the house was going to fall over. Bangs and crashes and what sounds like a little shout are heard before someone throws open the wooden door.

As soon as you saw him you knew this was Sollux no doubt about it. The boy who is standing in front of you matches Sollux to a tee, heterochromia and everything.

"Hey guyth," he says.

And oh God he even has the lisp. You can see Karkat's hands ball up into fists when he hears the lisp. You smirk slightly to yourself when you remember how Karkat was raging about Sollux's lisp in the car. While it does sounds kind of annoying is isn't something you punch a guy over. He can't even help it or whatever. You do find it funny though and you wouldn't be surprised if you do end up laughing over it at some point.

This is going to be classic.

**Dave: Wonder****  
**

You're all wondering now. While you've all thought about what was going to happen when the next person got here you haven't actually come up with a proper idea with how everyone is going to fit. Tying someone to the roof has been suggested enough times so the next person to suggest it will be the one tied to the roof. Squeezing everyone into the middle row of seat was another idea but you don't really want to be pulled over by police and put in gaol or whatever.

After about ten minutes of questioning George just decided to shove all the kids into the caravan saying, "as far as I know, it isn't illegal."

So with a shrug of your shoulders and a quiet and fleeting protest from Margaret, you're all off again but at least sitting in the caravan is more comfy.

* * *

Sorry about the rushed ending but I'm feeling shitty and I just wanted to get this chapter out this week. Sorry about the lameness. And I hope I can write lisping right... my friend with a lisp isn't here so I can't make her say words to make sure I'm writing it properly.

Chapter title from The Ting Things' "That's Not My Name". Not really relevant expect for, like, one line.


	19. The Funny Farm Where Life Is Beautiful

**Dave: Rephrase yourself**

Yeah, that'll be a sweet idea. Instead of 'at least sitting in the caravan is more comfy' it should be 'at least sitting in the caravan is more comfy, but every time we go over a bump we almost fall out of our seat'. Yes, that describes it more nicely. You should design a caravan with seat belts on every surface a butt could possibly be placed upon. Seat belts everywhere; safety everywhere - that'll be your motto. You'll be rich as fuck from this idea. The point is, this isn't any better than sitting in the car itself, instead it's equally annoying but at least we all have our own space.

Since this is one of the first chances to actually sit with our own space we decide to take that opportunity and use it wisely. We're spread everywhere around, as far away as we can get. Considering the small size of the caravan we are going a pretty good job. We have to yell just so someone on the other side can hear us. We were currently yell-asking Sollux about this life right now, questioning the fuck out of him, Rose especially. She has the knack of picking apart the brain of anyone and everyone. It's cool to watch it unfold in front of you; just the ways she notices stuff that you would miss or how everything has deeper meaning than what it seems like. But you know for a fact it is never, ever fun being on the receiving end of Rose's questions.

You can tell that Sollux isn't having much fun with it either. He's cursing and getting fidgety, scratching his arm or biting his lip whenever a certain question is asked. After a while you have just started noticing these things with people. That's usually with lying but in this case it's from pure uncomforted. You understand that. The way Rose talks makes you uncomfortable.

"How's life?" she asks.

Sollux fidgets for a moment, scratching his nose this time and saying what sounds like 'fuck' underneath his breath. He pauses for a minute or two in what you think is thought - which it probably isn't - before replying, "fine… it's good."

"How so?" she continues to ask.

"Just… it just is? Like I get along with my family and…" he doesn't answer the question really. Just runs words together until it makes what may or may not be a perfectly okay sentence.

She nods a little slowly. The way she acts as she nods looks like she's absorbing this new information as if it was in another language. Like it's something she doesn't know. She knows thought. Of course she does. How could she not? She's just analysing it and Sollux.

**Dave: Be analysed**

Why would you just want to be pulled apart mentally by Rose? You'll take a pass with that, thanks.

**Dave: Be someone who's being analysed**

Okay, that's a bit better.

**Dave: Be Sollux**

You are now Sollux Captor and damn are you feeling uncomfortable. You feel like a fish and Rose is the fisherman, this conversation being the fishing line and fuck are you caught hook, line and sinker. Or something along those times, the point is you're stuck taking feeling with Rose. Kill me now you think.

Not that you have anything against Rose. She's a pretty nice girl. You just don't do feelings. Feelings are locked away in a chest at the very far back part of your brain. You don't think about them, actually you're pretty sure you don't know about them. You can't remember the last time you cried - in real life, anyway.

"What is your family like?" she asks, leaning forward with his chin resting in your palms. She continues to stare intensely at you, looking you dead in the eyes as if she's trying to search for your core. 'Eyes are the windows to the soul' they say and you haven't fully realised how true that is until now.

"My family?" you ask out of surprised because you don't really like to talk about your family to anyone just because you don't know how people are going to react, whether they're going to hate you or something. Rose just nods in a 'go ahead' manner. You breathe out deeply, biting your lip. "My family's pretty sweet. We get along really well and shit - like we're close."

"Who is in your family?" she asks.

Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit. You had a feeling she was going to ask this question. You feel like dying every time someone asks it because urgh. The embarrassment and the ridicule that you have experience due to your family is like a never-ending reminder about how fucked up you and your entire life is. You do love your family to death and would do anything for them, just… whenever you think about them you think about everything else and everything just ends up sucking dicks.

You end up opting for a pretty generic answer, "just my parents and I."

You also manage to miss the glimmer of something you can't describe in her eyes. Confusion, anger, determination, knowing; just something that makes you squirm with a bitter feeling in your chest and stomach. You don't like talking to Rose like this.

**Sollux: Stop talking to Rose like this**

To stop talking to Rose like this you may or may not have to skip some important character building. Would that be okay?

**Sollux: Yes**

'Yes' isn't really a command. But whatever. As long as you are able to live comfortably with yourself for the rest if your life you don't care about the important character building. And, besides, if you get the choice to skip it, it can't be that important.

You are now later in the day and it's like that embarrassing moment when you tell Rose about your gay parents didn't happen. And that's because it actually didn't happen because you're a cheating son of a bitch. Sometimes you do actually love yourself and your brainy ways.

"I wonder where we're going," John thinks out loud.

We couldn't really see where we were going because the windows of caravan were those tiny ones that we could only see out of if we stood on a table or chair. Frankly, in your thoughts, if the windows are so fucking little they're pretty pointless. To lighten places you can always use artificial lighting.

"To whoever we're picking up next," Karkat replies with a 'fucking duh' tone of voice. You have to suppress a giggle because of how crabby he is. Fucking Hell he's shitty still. You're shocked his super religious folks haven't shoved anger management classes and Jesus onto him. Especially Jesus seeing as his ancestors was fucking Troll Jesus. They must've got some kicks from that, probably telling all their church friends that. Only completely avoiding the bit where the religious person in question is a dream-made alien.

"No need to get…" Jade pauses for a moment for what you're thinking is meant to be for 'dramatic effect' before taking off your own glasses and saying, "crabby". She and John are the only ones who find the joke funny. It probably has something to do with the fact that they're actually a couple of dorks.

You see Rose shake her head at them with a light smile from the corner of your eyes before she continues her cross stitching. You actually think she might have found Jade's crappy joke funny. Either that or she's just okay with it. Not the shitty-ass joke - no one should be okay with that - but how they're currently living. All thrown together in the back of a car or caravan and forced to live without each other like that. In a way you find it eye opening. For once you're away from your bullies and your dads and everything else. You're going to miss them because fuck that people say because gay parents are as supportive as Hell. But even then you haven't had actual, real happiness. You're been through all these problems since you've woken up and have even been thrown into a God forsaken funny farm because you apparently needed help. "Live with these crazy people and you'll be happy" they'd say or "we'll give you a mountain of pills and you'll be happy". Fuck them. With a barely there smile on your face you realise that this is happiness. Lame jokes and all.

**Sollux: Be someone else**

You now decide to be someone else because since Sollux - kind of - didn't get any character building we will give someone else a chance to build character.

**Sollux: Be someone else to build character**

You are now someone else but you're not going to build character. You're just going to be used as a medium for someone else to build a little more character. Or, at least, a little more background information. Yes, that means your name is John Egbert and you're checking your phone for the umpteenth time today. But this time you actually have a reply from Vriska.

- arachnidsGrip [AG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 17:18 -

AG: John, you wouldn't 8e anywhere near 8rooklyn 8y any chance?

EB: um no?  
EB: in fact we're nowhere near brooklyn

AG: Fuck. God fucking damn it.  
AG: When do you think you could 8e anywhere near there?

EB: i'm guessing no time soon. why?

There's a pause for a couple of minutes when Vriska doesn't reply. She is in trouble like you thought she was and there isn't really anyway you could help her.

EB: vriska?

AG: Where are you now?

EB: like right-now, right-now?

AG: Yes John right-now, right-now.

EB: um, i actually have no idea.

AG: I'll just start walking in the most opposite direction of 8rooklyn and hope for the 8est then.

- arachnidsGrip [AG] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 17:26 -

Well, that hardly went well. Now you're feeling conflicted with telling George and Margaret that we have to go to Brooklyn and risk the chance of missing other people or go straight there and possibly save Vriska's life. You just decide that you'll sleep on it.

* * *

Hello, my name is Charlie and I can't America. Like, what is Brooklyn and where the fuck is it? The only reason I picked it is because the bad part is so famous at being bad. I mean no offence of disgrace to those who live in whatever Brooklyn, regardless of which part.

Right now I'm the combination of Erisolsprite, Tavrisprite, Rose, Karkat, Sollux, Eridan and fucking Wendell Borton from the Simpsons. Seriously, this is not okay.

But seriously this is a chapter and it is done and hopefully it is good. I finished and posted it without even caring. I tried deep but I cannot deep.

Song from Lard's "They're Coming To Take Me Away".


	20. And I Don't Sleep Well At All

**John: Sleep**

As much as you would love to no one apparently is allowed to sleep. The problem is the lack of sleeping space. The people to bed ratio is a little off; the double bed and the three stretches only allow five people to actually sleep on something designed to be slept on. But now that Sollux is here too that means that there's six people and nowhere for him to sleep. You're starting to question how well you all planned this before setting off. But you refuse to think about it because screw this you guys are smart.

Out of pure gentlemanly-ness you allowed the girls the double bed again so that four people and three beds. There was the suggestion from that someone sleeps on the little couch/dining table bench thing but no one, no matter how thin of tiny, would be able to sleep on that comfortably. That just sounds even worse than sleeping on one of those stretcher beds.

Silence had filled the room, everyone quiet, thinking about what we could do to solve this situation. The bench thing and the floor have been the only two suggests. "What about taking it in turns?" Dave suggests, "kinda like we're spies who need to keep guard of the super-secret base. The super-secret base is just this shitty-ass caravan."

Jade threw a pillow from the bed at Dave, who was able to miss it with his Strider skills. "This caravan is not shitty," Jade exclaims at him.

The pillow is thrown back at her with a very immature, "is so" from Dave.

Without saying anything Sollux gets up from the seat on the ground, leaning against the door and walking towards the mini fridge which is stocked with food and drinks of everyone's choice. He opens the door and pulls out a Red Bull and takes a sit on the bench, opening and taking a sip of his drink.

"Energy drinks? Before bed?" Rose questions with a raised eyebrow.

Sollux just shrugs, causing his blanket to fall of one of his shoulders. He just takes another sip of the drink without even making a move to pull the blanket back up over his shoulder. "I don't sleep," is all he says after a full minute.

"Could the reason you can't sleep is because you're drinking energy drinks before you're going to fucking sleep?" Karkat asks.

"I just don't sleep," Sollux says with another shrug which is followed with another mouthful of Red Bull.

Dave just simply shrugs and climbs into the lowest stretcher.

"What are you doing?" you ask him.

"I'm going to sleep," he replies, "what does it look like?"

"What about Sollux?" you ask.

"The guy doesn't sleep so he doesn't need anything to sleep on," he states as if it's the most obvious thing. He rolls over onto his side, facing away from everyone. The shades quickly follow with a "turn off the lights."

You continue to glare holes into Dave's back before Sollux waves you off. "Sleep, I'll turn off the lights". The way he said it sounded as if there was an underlying 'don't disagree with me or I'll fuck you up' and you don't want to be fucked up.

Seeing as Dave took the lowest stretcher and Karkat got the middle one you have to climb all the way up the little ladder and take the very top on. You're honesty not the biggest fan of the highest up one just because you're worried you'll fall out of the bed and crack your skull open or die or something like that. You think that would be one of the worse ways to die.

As soon as your head hits the pillow and the thin blankets are pulled up over your body, Sollux turns the lights off, bathing the caravan in darkness.

You go the sleep remembering you have to think about what you're going to do about the Vriska situation.

**John: Be Sollux**

You are now Sollux and God fucking damn it you're bored. You feel a little out of place because everyone else is sleeping and here you are, sipping your energy drink and sitting around like a hopeless, loss mess. You probably are. You slightly wish you were back home, sitting in your room on your laptop playing a game or coding something with the TV on for no reason other than to give you a feeling of security. Or to make you feel like lonely; you don't really know. It could be both of all you know. Right now all you got is a Red Bull, a blanket and a half charged phone. But this'll do because you're a survivor. You're like the Bear Grylls of the insomniac world.

You check Pesterchum and are not surprised when no one is on so you close the app and open Angry Birds instead to pass the time. The slow glow of the phone in the dark no longer hurts your eyes anymore, they're that used to the harsh lighting from things. It has fucked up your eye sight and you do need glasses at all times but they're okay besides that. Glasses actually just run in the family so you were probably going to need them eventually but you ended up getting them sooner than expected. But you find your glasses pretty cool. You had specially requested the frames so that one side of them is red and the other blue. You thought it was pretty funny at the time but now you just think they look stupid. You think a lot of things are stupid so it's okay.

**Sollux: List the things you think are stupid**

Oh man, where do you start? How able at number one - everything in the world, which is closely followed by number two - everything in the universe. Aren't you just the most hating bastard on the Earth? But you reckon you can pull it off seeing as you combine it with your 'I'm the best' thing you see to have going for you. You're kind of a self-loathing righteous dick and you're completely okay with that. Or maybe you're not. You may or may not be completely okay with being a self-loathing dick. You're the type of person who would say they hate themselves and then would that they are the best in the world. You sigh inwardly at yourself and take another big gulp of your drink. You close Angry Birds and sit there in the darkness and silence. You sit there with your half-finished Red Bull, blanket and your now-less-than-half-charged phone. You feel like a drunken person sitting in a bar who has lost control of their life and don't know how to get it back and, in the back of their minds, they don't want to. You don't even know what having a 'proper' life is like but you assume it isn't like this.

**Sollux: Skip time again**

Because you have had enough with this bullshit involving you you're going to take advantage of that earlier opportunity and skip ahead in time again. And, besides, it is properly the best idea anyway. One more second of this shit and you think you're going to kill someone, whether it is you or someone else. Yes, that sounds like a good idea. We shall skip to the next day.

**Sollux: Be someone else**

Wow. Really going to whole nine years here - skipping and swapping.

Anyway, you are now someone else. Who haven't we been in a while?

**Sollux: Be Jade Harley**

You are now Jade Harley and doesn't it feel good? You had the best sleep last night again. You really like the bed but you're also wondering if the boys would like a change. Those stretchers aren't the best things to be sleeping on every right. Even sleeping in the car would be more comfortable than those pathetic excuses for beds. Or on the floor even with the laminated flooring, which will just be cold during the night in winter and sticky with sweat in the summer. Actually, sleeping anywhere expect the bed isn't a good idea. Which gets you thinking, what if you camped out one night in one of the tents you brought with you. Stay up late and roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories. Yeah, that'll be fun when everyone's here together, a celebration of sorts.

You sit up in the bed and stretch, feeling your joints crack in your back and elbows. You'll never get sick of that feeling. Apparently you didn't do that before. George and Margret had told you that and you were kind of shocked. How you could have never cracked your joints before? It is such an awesome feeling.

There was a soft knock on the door before it was opening by Margret. Rose started to rub the sleep from her eyes and you're guessing that you woke her up by moving around so much. No one other than the two of you and Sollux has waked up yet. "Could you wake the boys up? We're going out for breakfast" Margret asks and when you woke slightly she says, "thanks girls."

"What about me?" Sollux protests overdramatically as he stood up and went to the mini fridge and, unsurprisingly, pulled out a Red Bull.

"Sorry sweetheart, didn't see you here," Margret apologies with a smile before closing the door.

"Are you sure you have insomnia or just can't sleep from all the energy drink you consume?" Rose says. You can't be sure if she's being genuinely concerned or just poking some fun at him.

Sollux pulled out a small plastic bag and dumps the contents on the table. About half a dozen plastic pill bottles fall from the bag. "Haha, Lalonde," is all he says before taking a long and a bit over-the-top sip of drink and you're guessing that it's just to annoy her. You watch Sollux as he swallows handful after handful of pills, barely taking a sip of Red Bull to wash them down. You can tell that he has been doing this several times for quite a long time.

"What are they for?" Rose asks, more-or-less voicing your thoughts.

He just shrugs and says, "I dunno… everything I pretty sure."

"What happens if you stop taking them?" you ask curiously.

"Dunno, never really thought about not taking them. Taking them is just a part of my life, kind of like breathing," he takes a breath before clearing his throat and saying, "I'll get those these up."

You can't say you're smart like Rose and can read people like she does but you can tell that the sudden change in conversation means Sollux is done with talking about it. You nod, more to yourself than anyone else, and grab your clothes for the day. You're super excited for who you're going after today. You kind of hope it's a girl because you're out-numbered really bad right now.

* * *

Wow. Twenty chapters. That's like twenty whole motherfucking chapters for something that I wasn't even sure was going to go anywhere except my shitty-ass brain. Thank you people who read, favourite, review or whatever else you people do. I may or may not consider you guys friends.

Anyway, I'm still actually feeling shitty and sick and just generally blah. Because blah is a feeling or an emotion or whatever. But that's life and I'm just realising that I'm pretty much always shitty and sick. I'm like always having the flu, regardless if it's flu season or not. What. The. Fuck.

Okay. Chapter title is from Hello Saferide's "I Don't Sleep Well".


	21. Just A Little FYI

Hello people. This is not an update. I repeat, this is not an update. Its just a little something I should've mentioned before in the last couple of chapters.

Sollux does lisp. He lisps quite a lot. He is a very lisp-y motherfucker. But after some (a lot) of trying I figured out that writing a lisp is Hell to do. I would prefer to write the lisp but I don't wanna have to (maybe) delay chapters to do so but to spend that little extra time on Sollux's dialogue. I might slip in the word 'lisp' or something like that when he speaks just for a reminder but I won't go out of the way to write it.

And congratulations, you have just admitted to writing one of your pet peeves. Because, seriously, I'm not a huge fan of someone missing the lisp-y things but it's hard and no wonder no one does it. Wish someone warned me before hand.

Kisses xox.


	22. Entertain You

**Jade: Cry for joy**

Yes you are. For the first time in quite a while you are actually having a sort-of-proper-better-than-usual breakfast. Instead of having shitty Macdonald's breakfast burgers and wraps and stuff you're not having breakfast and a cute little café near a river. It's a nice place with the choice of sitting inside or outside and they have a lot on the menu. The place isn't too expensive either which is a good thing considering how many people are actually have breakfast; four of them being growing boys.

You end up ordering pancakes with every possible pancake topping they offer. After Rose order a simple piece of cinnamon toast she gives you a look saying, "you're going to be sitting in a car for quite some time. Meaning motion sickness could happen and also sitting in a car won't allow you to work everything off."

"Are you saying I'm fat?" you say maybe just a little too loud.

"No," she says before taking a sip of her overly fancy-named tea, "I'm simply implying that you may become."

You huff and cross your arms over your chest, pretending to be angry at her. Your acting skills are however the best so you end up looking completely stupid. You're just guessing that because a couple of the people at the table started to laugh at you. You end up bursting into laughter too. You think you did well because even Karkat cracked the tiniest of smiles.

When you pancakes finally turned up - not that they were slow or anything, you were just impatient - you couldn't help but let out a little happy noise and do a chair dance, wiggling your bum in your seat. The pancakes are… they're just perfect. A stack of three thick, fluffy pancakes were covered in maple syrup, icing sugar and three different types of berries. Rose was right though, you're so going to become fat. But who cares? If this is fat, you don't want to be skinny.

"Are you sure you can eat all those pancakes?" Dave asks.

"Is that a challenge?" you tease with a raised eyebrow, pointing at him with your fork.

"Might be," he says, almost offhandedly as he cuts up a piece of bacon and toast.

"Then challenge accept," you say before digging into your pancakes.

Ugh, they are so good!

**Jade: Regret it**

Oh yeah you do. Not the bit with the pancakes. Oh God you will never regret those pancakes. Not in a million years. The bit you regret is deciding you were going to accept Dave challenge. Even though those pancakes were really good, there was a lot of pancake. You had finished the first two without a problem but it was the third one that almost killed you. You may have had only a few mouthfuls left but those few were a few too many.

After you threw your knife and fork down on your syrupy plate and let out a groan of defeat. From across the table Dave was smirking at you. You had a feeling he knew you wouldn't be able to finish it all. Anyone in their right mind should know that was too much to eat all at once. But you weren't in the right mind. Who could be when those pancakes were in front of you? No one is the answer.

"This is why you shouldn't gamble," George mutters under his breath as we walked back to the car.

Back to where we'd back chucked in the back of a caravan and thrown from side to side every time you turn. Oh, the fun of road travelling.

**Jade: Go crazy**

You so are going to. On the walk back you came across a video store. Videos stores means movies which would mean you'll have entertainment. Entertainment would is pretty awesome right now. "We should buy some movies," you suggest.

"But we just spend so much on breakfast," Margret says.

"But… but movies," you protest in a semi-winey voice. Movies are such a good idea and you don't know why someone would want to deny you this good idea. You came up with it and everything. You think you should be praised or something.

"Yeah," John says, "why can't we have any movies? It'll keep us quiet and less annoying."

"Because we just spend too much on breakfast," Margret repeats, "money doesn't grow on tree you know."

"What do you think?" Jade says, turning to George expecting him to be on her side.

George doesn't say anything. He doesn't want to get involved because, after being married to Margret for this long, he knows that arguing against her to pretty pointless. As they say, she wears the metaphoric pants in their relationship. George just shrugs his shoulders and turn to back the other way, finding sudden interest in a real estate agency; perhaps wanting to find his own home.

After your 'bring George into this' idea didn't work you tried another one - one that normally always works. You poke out your lower lip and make it quiver, crocodile tears starting to well up in your eyes. Fake crying is something that you have mastered over the time you have started to live with your two elder carers. They were just so soft and easily swayed into doing what you want. Usually it is just small things like a bar of chocolate when they go shopping or your favourite meal for dinner.

But this, oh no, not this, this isn't some small thing. This is serious God damn it. You'd do whatever you get some movies, even kill a man and you're not a woman of idle threats.

After a few second Margret lets out a soft sigh saying, "all right but only one each."

You stop the sad act and throw your arms around her repeating "thank you, thank you, thank you" until Margret pries herself from your arms.

You and John race into the video store whereas everyone follows you more calmly. Almost as if they aren't excited for movies. Wow, screw them, too.

**Jade: Be confused but not any less crazy**

When you thought about buying some movies you didn't really think about how many movies there is to choose from. You're also pretty bummed after realising you had heaps and heaps of movies back at home you could have brought with you. Why you didn't think about that beforehand? You'll never know. But that has led you here, staring at hundreds upon hundreds as DVDs to pick from. Ugh, just so many.

"Remember one each and only buying, not renting," Margret says, walking around you. Everyone else has started looking for DVDs to buy but you just don't know.

You scan the selves and boxes full of DVDs. You're not even too sure what genre you want. Something with action would be nice, like with guns and everything. But then something like comedy would be nice, too. Action-comedy…? Is that even a proper genre?

**Jade: Be someone else**

Yes, perhaps leaving you to be by yourself for a little while but help you pick a movie. Too much pressure or something will lead to the wrong choice and we can't have that, can we?

**Jade: Be Rose**

You are now Rose. Picking a DVD is apparently going to harder than you first thought. Not for you no, you already have an idea as to which movie you would like to buy. The problem is one that everyone would also like to enjoy watching. What'll be the point of watching a movie if not everyone is going to enjoy it? There would be no point. You also feel like you, in a lack of better words, say screw them. Yes, forgetting about them for them moment would be okay with you.

After a couple for moment scanning the shelves you end up deciding on The Notebook. You have to say you do have a sore spot for romantic things. You're not too sure why. It's just a little interest you got while on the meteor. You remember stealing those two novels from Karkat and Meenah. You take your DVD and make your way towards John who seemed to be having trouble finding a movie to pick from. It'll be something 'shitty' in someone else's option.

"What movies are you looking at?" you ask him, looking over his shoulder.

He holds up two movie cases, one of them being the first Ghostbusters and the other being Next. "I don't know which one."

"Have you seen either of them?" you ask.

He nods his head slightly before replying, "yeah, both."

"Which one did you like better?" you try again.

He holds up the Ghostbuster case saying, "well Ghostbusters is such a classic. You could never, not love this one," he then holds up Next case, "but Next is still a really, really awesome movie. It's all action and then there's some romance and in the end he saves the day and gets the girl and everything!"

Wow, to you that sounds like every other action movie. You can't say you're the biggest action movie fan but if you were to watch an action movie, it'll be for the action and not the romance. If you want romance then watch a romance movie.

John ends up going with Next and you make your way towards everyone else - including Jade - at the counter to pay for your movies. Jade ended up with The Mummy, Dave got Starsky and Hutch, Sollux got Tron: Legacy and Karkat got Groundhog Day. By the looks of it neither Margret nor George got themselves a movie - probably because they didn't want one to begin with. You did think it was rather cute how Margret gave in so easily to Jade's pleading.

After buying the movies you finished the walk back to the car.

**Rose: Mediate**

Apparently the movie idea wasn't the best one because now John, Jade and Karkat are arguing about why their movie should be put on first. You almost wanted to get yourself involved with your own movie just to shut them up. It'll be time for dinner - or even bed - but the time they finished fighting over what movie we should watch. Apparently you were the only one thing that. Sollux and Dave were encouraging them to continue their immature behaviour.

As the reasonable and mature person you are you're going to take it upon yourself to bring an end to their childish arguing. You will mediate. Or, in this case, probably just be like a parent.

"Okay, okay, everyone!" you call over them. When you received no answer you the slammed down the book you're currently read onto the table with force. The cracking sound for the book hitting the table drew everyone's attention your way. You smile sweetly - a sort of sarcastic smile - and move the book away slowly. "Okay thank you. Instead of acting like a bunch of children, why don't we settle this in a more mature way?"

"And what would that be?" John inquires.

"Well, because this was Jade's idea, her movie should be watched first," you say.

John looks at you with a little bit of a lost expression, "I thought you said mature."

"That was mature," you reply.

"No it wasn't," he argues.

"It was more mature than the way you were handling it," you counter.

John just sighs and slumps into a seat with defeat while Jade jumps up and down, clapping her hands in delight. She then quickly put the DVD into the players before settling down in her seat.

You're not going to be the biggest fan of this movie, you think, but it'll be a good way to past time and take your mind of everything for a while. Instead, you just go back to the book you were reading.

* * *

Hello, I just shitted out this chapter. A very undramatic chapter without any important shit going on. You're welcome.

The place they had breakfast at is a cute little café by the riverside here in Australia. It's awesome.

I think I may have said to a few people that our next person who be in this chapter but sorry, they're not. Next one, I pinky promise.

Chapter title from Robbie William's "Let Me Entertain You".


	23. I'm Waking Up, I Cannot See

**Rose: Get annoyed**

You could say you're getting a bit annoyed right now. Or maybe annoyed isn't the right word. Frustrated might be a better word. Yes, frustrated fits your current feeling right now. It's more of a serious word. And this is a serious moment. Very, very serious in fact because it is a life or death situation and life or death situations are usually very serious and could very well be life threatening. You're getting frustrated because it's currently 9 PM and everyone is still up watching their movies. You were able to get yours in just after John's - which was second - and Dave's - which was third - but now we're onto Sollux's choice of movie which is Tron: Legacy. And, to say the least, everyone else was getting pretty into it.

Everyone expect for you. Because it is 9PM and you need to sleep, which is your 'life or death' situation. Sure, it does sound a little over dramatic but, in the end if you don't get enough sleep you could end up dying. Besides, everyone should be getting to sleep sooner or later - nice would be nice but you'll take soon - because you're meant to be having an early movie to get ready for our next person who's coming on board. According to the map Terezi is meant to be the next person. You think it'll be nice to have another boy here. We may still have one too many boys but at least three against four is a lot more even. The problem is going to be fitting everyone into the caravan. She could be an insomniac too and she's not telling us for some reason. Who knows?

The point is, this caravan is getting crowded and soon not everyone is going to be able to fit in here, let alone be able to sleep without problems. You're probably going to have to start booking into hotels every night or taking turns in sleeping or shoving people back into the car so they could sleep here. It'll be uncomfortable, you think, but it's better than not being able to sleep at all. Sollux could always go sit in the car since he doesn't sleep during the night, but instead decides to down Red Bull after Red Bull; which is hardly a healthy habit.

After another loud noise from where everyone was watching the movie you think you've reached your limit… the end of the metaphorical rope. The point is, you are done and you need sleep desperately. You get up from where you were laying in the bed, already dressed for sleeping, and take the few small steps over to where everyone else is. They were sitting wherever they could - seats, the floor, and even the table. You stand there for a moment until Dave notices you. "What's up Lalonde?" he asks, not even facing away from the screen. He could be looking at you but you couldn't tell because he still has those shades on his face.

You breathe out deeply through your noise to try and release some frustration. After breathing out you reply monotony, "we are meant to be having an early morning because by the time the sun is up we'll be in Terezi's hometown. And because we will be there quite early George and Margret want us up by at least seven in the morning. "

"So what?" he asked, sounding completely uncaring. He wasn't even focusing on you and you'll bet if you asked him to repeat what you just said he wouldn't be able to.

"What that means," you reply, the annoyance you're feeling starts to seep into your words. You regain your composure and start again, "what that means is that we should start heading to bed."

"It's almost over though."

You pinch the bridge of your nose with your index finger and thumb before sighing, "okay, fine. At least turn it down so I could get some sleep."

"Can't you turn it down when you walk past again? Since you're on your way out and everything," he suggests. It wasn't a suggestion really, more like a undemanding demand. Which is kind of like a suggestion… whatever, it's along those lines.

"The remote is right there," you say gesturing to the remote control for the tiny telly which was within arm's reach of him.

"Can't reach," is all he says, without even trying to reach for the remote, before you're positive all his attention is back on the movie again. You fold your arms across your chest before stalking towards the TV. You stand purposely in front of it.

"Oi, move it!" Karkat yells at you, waving his right arm in a 'shooing' motion. You turn on the balls of your feet and turn the volume down to a more bearable level.

Before walking back towards the bed you slip Karkat (and Dave) the bird while saying "get bent, toots". Because you can be a bitch if you want to be… a sassy bitch even. There's a stunned silence that engulfs the tiny living space as you leave, the only sounds are coming from the TV and your feet padding across the linoleum flooring that covers every inch of the caravan. Yes, you have shown them.

**Rose: Finally sleep**

Thankfully you can now get your sleep because you think you've earned it.

**Rose: Be someone else**

Yes, being someone else would be nice right now. How about we be that new girl? What's her name again…?

**Rose: Be Terezi**

Ah yes, Terezi.

You are now Terezi.

**Terezi: Do something**

You are doing something! You are currently watching - and by watching you mean listening to - How To Train Your Dragon while petting your Seeing Eye Dog, a black Labrador you named Toothless, obviously. How To Train Your Dragon is possibly the best movie that has ever been created. Dragons are cool and Vikings are pretty sweet, too. But dragons beat Vikings by a long shot. A very long shot, too. A shot so long that even the person with the best eyes can see it. Nor can you travel to it. That's how far that shot is.

After you woke up from your coma you didn't have your eye sight and the doctors couldn't explain why. Even you didn't know why. Like, you know Troll Terezi didn't have her vision but you don't understand why real you should be blind. You don't have grey skin anymore so why should you have no sight either? But when you realised that you're blind and isn't going to change you thought that you could walk around smelling and tasting the colour of everything.

No. It doesn't work like that. Real actual people have to have eyes to see shit and now that you are a real actual person, you have to learn the proper blind people life. You read braille and walk with either Toothless or your cane - which you had customised to look like your dragon cane. It doesn't really work like a weapon though. Like it can be pulled apart and stuff but it doesn't have swords in it or anything. You have tried to wield it like nunchucks but it didn't work very well and instead broke a window.

Like your cane you got heaps of stuff you used to have. You got your mum to sew you a special cape to look like the one you used to have and she also made you heaps of dragon plushies. She didn't sound too happy when you asked her to make you that stuff but you could tell that she loves you and wants what's only the best for you. You think it's cute how much she actually cares even though she pretends to act tough. She doesn't do tough very well, though.

"Terezi you should be getting to bed," your mum says. You jump a little, not knowing she came into the lounge room.

"I can't," you say.

"And why not?" she asks.

"I can't find it," you reply. You can't say it's a complete lie. Without Toothless it would take you twice as long to find your way.

"That's why you have Toothless," she says.

"But he's tired and needs a break after walking all day," you retort. Your eyes are still trained on the basic area of the TV.

"Now, Terezi," oh shit. The stern voice is coming out.

"But the movie is almost over," you complain.

"You've seen this movie a hundred times; it's nothing new," she says, "so bed now."

You sigh deeply and over dramatically before lightly hitting Toothless's side as a sign to get his lazy dog ass in gear. He moves his head up from your lap and you guess he's looking at you because he whines. "Gotta get up," you tell up, while standing yourself. He quickly gets the message and stands up, hopping off the couch. You fiddle around for a moment before finding your cane, already unfolded, next to the couch. You begin the walk off and you can sense that Toothless is following you.

"Thank you," your mum says, even if it does seem a little sarcastic.

You mumble a 'screw you' understand your breath after you exited the lounge room.

Your cane bumps against the walls as you make your away to your room but you find it pretty quickly. Your mum had braille stuck up on the doors and things so you could find rooms and some objects better.

This whole blind thing is expensive.

**Terezi: Be Sollux**

Because everyone is making their way to bed now you decided you needed to get yourself set for the night. This includes drinking more energy drinks and turning on your laptop for the first time since you got on this caravan. Like you could keep off it for too long but this is certainly a record, or at least close to one. You don't know. Days spill into days and without really knowing it you're into a new month.

The first thing you do is check your Facebook and Twitter. Not that much will be happened on either of them anyway. You checked them out of habit more than anything. You know that tonight is going to be a long night, which is like every other night. But you're prepared - armed with Red Bull, Minecraft, and your blanket from the other night.

* * *

Hey guys I'm back like one day early. I'm actually a huge nerd and a goody-two-shoes and busted my ass until I got all of my assessments done. I've done my History one two entire weeks before it was due. Fuckin' Hell.

Year 10 is hard and I don't want to go onto my Senior Year. And I don't want to go onto University either. Ew, higher education. Maybe I should, like, dump my career path just so I don't have to go to Uni. Yes, good idea.

Okay, I mentioned a name changed before and, after two days of looking, I found one. Abequa. It's a Native American name, of Chippewa origin. It works well because 1. It's Native American and I love Native America and everything about it and 2. It means 'stays at home'. Perfect name. I even found this: People with this name tend to be quiet, cooperative, considerate, sympathetic to others, adaptable, balanced and sometimes shy. They are trustworthy, respecting the confidences of others, and make excellent diplomats, mediators and partners. They are often very intuitive. They like detail and order, and often find change worrisome. They may sometimes feel insecure or restless.

Damn. Hello perf name.

I was planning on having them meet Terezi in this chapter but I was like 'fuck it'. At least we met her... right? Right...?

Anyway, chapter title is from Metallica's "One".

P.S. Does anyone else have unnecessary strong feelings for the Oxford Comma. Serious question, dudes.


	24. He Catches His Reflection On Accident

**Sollux: Groan**

Yeah, you're inwardly groaning because God fucking damn it you're bored. It was nearing seven so everyone should be getting up soon. Or, considering last night, Rose is going to wake up and do a 'told you so' thing when everyone else wakes up and complains. You like to think you have an excuse to complain when being tired. You do have an excuse but your dads wanted to pump you full of more pills and shit to help with your insomnia and, frankly, you've had enough with the medications.

You'd put your laptop away not long before because you've got sick of it. Well not sick of it, you could never get sick of your laptop, just sick of the burning, bright ass light that comes from it. Even when you turned down the brightness it hurt your eyes. You make a mental note to get one of your dads to take you to get your eyes checked again after this whole thing is over. But, now that you're not with your laptop, you're not left with much else to do.

So, more out of boredom than anything, you pick up the closest can of Red Bull and shake it, finding out that you still had some left. You thought that was weird considering you swore to God you finished the can and you would never leave a half-finished can of Red Bull to just sit there and go off. You throw down the rest of it and regret it the second you finish swallowing. Fucking Hell it tastes like shit. No, you're pretty sure literal shit tastes divine compared to that trash. You throw the now empty can into the bin.

You rest your head in your palms and mutter to yourself, "ugh, fuck my life".

"What's wrong?" Rose asks as she rises from bed. She sounds too happy and interested in your feelings for this early in the morning.

You shake your head but raise it from your hands, "nothing, just having a moment or something."

She just nods and thankfully says nothing more on the subject. "How many cans of that did you drink last night?" she asks.

"Uh…" you count up all the cans on top of the little table, "eight."

"Just eight?" she says teasing you slightly.

"I was slow last night. Didn't finish number eight until about five minutes ago," you say with a little smirk.

"How'd it taste?" she asks, grabbing a glass and opening the mini-fridge, getting out a bottle of orange juice.

"Like absolute shit," you reply.

"Perhaps it's a sign you should stop," she says, again sounding like she's teasing.

"You make it sound as if I'm an alcoholic or something," you can't help but laugh at yourself for a moment.

Rose just sits down on the bed again and says nothing more.

**Sollux: Be Karkat**

Uh, sure, that'll be okay you guess.

You're Karkat and you're internally freaking the fuck out. You're shit has hit the fan and now someone's going to have to clean all this metaphorical shit off of the walls. When it was finally your turn in the bathroom this morning your eyes zeroed in on your hair - regrowth. It's barely noticeable but you can see it, the small bits of white growing from your scalp. Ugh, you have no idea what to do. Do you go buy hair dye - when will you have time or the privacy to do it? - or do you let it grow out - then people will know - or do you just bail on this whole thing - then they'll ask why.

Okay Karkat deep breaths. You knew that day will come eventually. But you haven't had to think about it till now. Maybe if you turned your head a certain way or started to wear hats, yeah, wearing a hat might work until you have to take it off. Hide your hat like your hid your blood colour. Oh shit. That might draw attention. No hats, hats will just cause more problems. You feel like you're going to have a heart attack or something in the tiny caravan bathroom. You try and calm down but you just see yourself in the mirror again and just have another little panic attack.

There's a knock on the door which is followed by someone's voice, "Karkat, is everything okay in there?" It was Jade.

"Yeah… yeah," you say trying to calm down, "everything fan-fucking-tastic".

Only you don't sound as if everything is fantastic, actually it's the opposite. You've always liked to think you're very much in control of your emotions and that they never escape the tightly sealed bottle you stuffed them into but right now you feel like they're slowly escaping in a small trickle. Oh God you're going to have to face these people and you don't want to face them but you know you're just going to have to man the fuck up and go ahead.

"Was everything okay?" Jade asks again when you finally allow yourself to leave the bathroom.

"Yeah, just still tired," you lie quietly. Now people are going to think something's up because you're quiet and shit.

"Then perhaps you should have listened to me when I said you should have went to bed earlier," Rose says.

"I knew you were going to do that," Sollux says loudly, "I fucking knew it!"

"Do what?" Rose asks and you're pretty sure she's just pretending to be confused and innocent.

"The whole 'told you so' thing," Sollux explains as he gestures around slightly.

"I never said I told you so," Rose quips.

"Because you like to use the overly fancy versions of everything," Dave throws in.

"I don't," she says simply.

**Karkat: Move your attention onto something more interesting**

There aren't very many things in this tiny caravan that could fall under the category of 'interesting' but right now you need a distraction. You scan the room and see John sitting off to the side by himself, staring intensely at his phone.

"What are you doing?" you ask him trying to sound like your usual self.

John quickly closed whatever was on his screen, "oh nothing, just checking if I had any messages or anything."

You don't think you'll get much from him so you decide to throw yourself into whatever shitty conversation everyone else is having.

**Karkat: Be John**

Why would you want to be John? Oh, so you could find out what he is hiding? Good idea.

You are now John Egbert and you're starting to really worry about Vriska. You're sent her so many messages since the last time you talked and she hasn't replied to any of them yet. Knowing her she could be in trouble or something. Oh God you're feeling so bad right now, if only you decided to turn this caravan around to help her. You're going to be beating yourself up over this but it isn't going to help anyone, especially help you to calm your nerves.

"I thought you said you were already there," Dave says to Rose.

"That's what I was told," Rose replies.

"Don't tell me we're lost," Jade whines.

"I can't tell you if we're lost because I am not the one who is driving nor do I have the map," Rose says.

"Should we ask George or Margret?" you ask, deciding to get in on the conversation to keep your mind of things.

"How would we do that?" Sollux asks sarcastically.

"I don't know," you reply kind of embarrassed you didn't think it through.

"I'm sure we're not too far away," Rose reasons.

**John: Get away from all this shitty teenage problems and awkwardness**

Yes and to do that you will be Terezi.

You are now Terezi and you're getting sick of waiting. You got up at like eight to make sure you had everything together and to make sure you're not still asleep when they arrive but now it just feels like a huge waste of time since they're not there yet.

"Will they just hurry up?" you ask Toothless who is laying on the lounge with you with his head on your lap. He doesn't give you a reply because he's probably as sick of waiting as you are, so sick of waiting he is beyond words. You let out a frustrated groan and slump down into your seat. "They're taking forever!"

"They'll make it. Give them time," your mum says trying to get you to settle down.

"But I've given them time. Heaps and heaps of it," you mutter.

"Be patient," she says.

You just groan again. You could have finished your movie last night and went to bed real late and you still would be able to wake up in time for them. You think by now they could read a map to get to a house. It can't be that hard… you think anyway.

"I've been patient," you mutter, "I've been patient for the last thousand years."

"It hasn't been a thousand years, hun. More like half an hour," your mum tells you.

"Feels like a thousand years…" you half-heartily retort. You fumble around with the bag beside you until you pull out your phone. It was a big bulky thing that's specially designed for the - and you quote - 'the blind or vision impaired' and by that they mean it's as big as a brick and has big ass buttons. It works for you but barely because, you know, you have trouble with anything that involves actual eyesight and all. Sometimes you wish you could smell and taste things like you used to. That would help you so much but, because this is real life, it's never going to happen.

You tap on the Pesterchum icon and open up the app. You scan through the list of names and find out that John's online. Thank God, you'll just ask him how long until they get here.

- gallowsCalibrator [GC] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 7:58 -

GC: HOW LONG 1S 1T GO1NG TO T4K3 YOU TO G3T H3R3? 1T C4NT B3 TOO H4RD TO F1ND 4 HOUS3

EB: hello to you too terezi. i wouldn't have a clue because we're not driving and we don't have the map.  
EB: i'm sure it isn't going to be very long.

GC: 1M S1CK OF W41T1NG FOR YOUR SLOW 4SS3S

EB: i'm sick of waiting and sitting on my ass.  
EB: hold up, i think we are pulling up somewhere.  
EB: what does your house look like?

GC: HOW 4M 1 M34NT TO KNOW? 1 C4NT S33 1T

EB: right... sorry, forgot. i think we're here.

- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC] at 8:04 -

They finally decide to show up. You shove your phone back into your bag after exiting Pesterchum. "They're here," you tell your mum.

You hear her move and unlocking the door, "they are," she says. You think she's staying there to greet them because you can still feel the chill from outside coming in.

You put Toothless on his side, "c'mon we need to get up". He lets out a disappointed whine but hops off your lap. You find his harness and grab hold of it before making your way towards the door to stand with your mother.

"Are you sure he can come with you?" she asks.

"He better be. I won't be leaving him behind," you reply.

You hear doors opening and close, yelling and shooshing, and you have no idea what is going on. But, before you know it, a sea of arms are pulling you, Toothless and your belongings from the house. You're barely able to get out a "see ya mum" before you're being helped into what you're thinking is the caravan.

* * *

Sorry if this is all butchered and stuff like that. I've been working on this chapter on and off for the last week or so. So if you thought it looks kinda funny that'll be the reason.

The phone that I mentioned for Terezi is an actual phone but I don't know much about it. I just know it is targeted for the blind or those with low vision. I feel for Karkat, man. Panic attacks are not okay, dudes.

Chapter title from Death Cab For Cutie's "Brothers On A Hotel Bed".


	25. Bloody Hell

Hey dudes. I've been meaning to tell you since Monday but haven't been able to because my laptop decided to carc it. Or the charger. Or the battery. But I think it is the charger. Tomorrow I'm going to see Helmut - yes the big German tech man is real. He's a somewhat family friend who does work at my school - and see if he can fix my laptop.

If not I might have to use my school laptop and transfer the chapters to the familý's computer to upload chapters. That'll delay them somewhat because, again, it is the families computer and not mine. Also I don't like my parent's room which is where it is kept. I hope I don't need to buy a new laptop because we're as broke as Hell.

I'll still try to reply to PMs and reviews but they might be later because all I have is my phone and I don't want to borrow the family computer all the time.

However, my chapter are being Beta'd by Athesia. Only the first one is finished and upload but from what I can remember the next three are done also.

Thank you and love you,

Abequa xox.


End file.
